SOLDIER Chronicles
by Mizu Kouken
Summary: I'm throwing in an O.C. of my own into the mix while taking the story back to the beginning when Cloud is training to be a soldier I'll also be mixing some of my own ideas into the plot still deciding on pairings may have a poll later if it gets that far
1. Chapter One: Are You Ready to be A SOL

**M.K.-** _(Walks in)_ **" Hello, everyone here's the opening Chapter."**

**Zack-** **"C.G. does not own Final Fantasy VII or Naruto if she did she would be a multibillionaire."**

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**~Chapter One: **_"Are You Ready to be A SOLDIER?"_

Cloud came screeching around the corner in his steel toed boots courteously provided to him by the Shinra officials along with cerulean blue army pants, cerulean blue tunic with leather padding, a belt and gloves and a cerulean blue hat that was cropped on top of Cloud's chocobo feather blonde head. If the hat was to be taken off you would be able to see that Cloud's hair stuck out in spikes in every direction except down, with the exception of his bangs that fell dangerously into his sky blue eyes that have not yet been touched by mako due to the missing green glow. A zanbantou with no special detail about it was strapped in a weird sheath to dangle diagonally down from his right shoulder to his left hip. Leather straps wrapped around Cloud's left shoulder and under his right armpit to come to a clasp in the middle of his abdomen.

"Dammit! When are they going to give up?" Cloud muttered darkly with a growl-like edge to his voice.

"Don't let him escape! Haha, you're going to get it now shrimp!" a voice not unlike the sound of nails on velcro collided painfully with Cloud's ears.

_"Not if I have anything to say about it!"_ the fourteen year old thought, a year younger than the standard age for SOLDIER trainees.

You would think that people would have thought that Cloud was an admirable boy in their eyes for being so determined to join the proud ranks of SOLDIER and help defend the citizens of The Planet from enemies of SOLDIER, but alas, it was not to be. Quite the opposite, in fact, the soldiers while not thinking themselves to be so lowly as to kick a boy around like the rusted can everyone kicks on the side of a road, they still look upon the blonde, quiet boy from Nibelheim in the mountain ranges to the far northern edges of the capital Midgar. The look was one of scoff, like the boy stood no chance in entering the almighty ranks of SOLDIER. The boy was nothing more than a mere insect in which everyone could ignore, an insect that is too weak and helpless to be of any use to them. So this insect, no matter how determined it may be, should just go back to the easily ignored village of Nibelheim of his as the only thing that was of importance in that mountainous village would be the reactor itself.

Cloud would have none of it for he was as stubborn as a hungry chocobo and as determined as a mail moogle trying to get the messages they were entrusted with to the people they were meant to be read by. No matter what his peers may think of him he would continue his training to be a SOLDIER of Shinra. He was as skilled in combat as any seasoned SOLDIER out there, after all, one had to be fit in order to outrun the monsters that lied in wait for their next meal that dared to venture out of their village and when Cloud was younger he would always venture the trails in between the reactor and Nibelheim to get some practice and battle experience in. Another skill Cloud had going for himself was his wit in his classes for if a mere test showed the level of skill one has in combat, why, Cloud would be running circles around the pansies the blonde called his classmates. Ask anything of Cloud and the blonde would not only be able to give an answer but also tell you the details of the answer like the history of the answer like how that answer came to be so, and what the cause of answer was.

"C'mon, Cloud, class is just around the corner and then you can actually kick these pansies' asses without any SOLDIER Instructor yelling at you for it," the blonde encouraged himself.

Sliding around said corner, Cloud dashed into the open door that led to the training facility for combat courses. The door revealed an open outdoor woodsy clearing that already had other occupants training to hone their skills and or come up with new techniques in the hopes that it would help the trainee make it into SOLDIER. Just after Cloud came to a halt at the section of the bleachers Cloud inwardly smirked as he heard the muffled curses and shuffling feet behind him from his tardy pursuers.

"RENO! You and your gang are late for the 6th time this week! What's your excuse this time? Too busy saving an old lady from having a heart stroke? Or is it the imaginary evil cat that always manages to get itself stuck in the Yen tree?" their instructor snapped at the red head with said red head's gang cowering in Reno's shadow squirming under their instructor's piercing glare.

"Uh…well, you see….um, it's quite the long story actually!" while Reno tried to defend himself and his gang from the wrath of his instructor, Cloud found it best to avoid any attention that might be accused on him from Reno by sneaking undetected from the instructor's gaze. Pretending to be taking down a practice dummy, Cloud felt the instructor's piercing stare befall upon him when Reno had finally resorted to fall back on his favorite excuse of,

"CLOUD DID IT! IT WAS HIS FAULT I SWEAR!"

"CADET STRIFE! CENTER FORWARD!" the sensei bellowed in command like he was trying to direct an army over the roar of firing bullets and war cries.

So Cloud went and stood at attention in front the instructor with his zanbantou sheathed, legs spread shoulder width apart, hands clasped behind his back and head raised to gaze straight ahead at the invisible spot just behind the instructor's left shoulder. Cloud was ready for whatever Reno and his gang threw at him.

"Reno claims that you made him tardy by stealing his goggles, is this true?" the instructor ever-so-stoically asked.

"How could I have his goggles, when they are around Reno's very neck, sir?" Cloud answered with a question of his own.

Lo and behold there the goggles in question hung about the sweating red head's neck. The boy's adam's apple bobbed up and down as Reno gulped in nervousness and apprehension. Cloud could only resume his training on the practice dummy when their instructor dismissed him only to grab hold of Reno's ear like a granny scolding a grandchild. Reno may have been unable to terrorize Cloud but that didn't stop his gang from sauntering up to the blonde's back with their quicksilvers and sneers. But, today seemed to be smiling on Cloud for the gang hadn't event touched the blonde when a deep voice cut across the clearing.

"Alright you maggots! Line up in front of the dummies and I mean every single student in class C-4!" the instructor's second in command bellowed above the battle cries and explosions from magic clashing against other kinds of magic. When the order was performed, the second hand finally got started with the day's objective.

"Ah, what a day," Cloud sighed as he neared his quarters the training facility provided.

What Cloud had in mind for when he got to his room was to take a nice, relaxing shower followed by something to eat, and do whatever else he found entertaining afterwards until it was lights out and time to hit the hay. He was NOT picturing a leering Reno and his gang blockading the hallway to Cloud's room.

"Aww man, what do you guys want now? Can't it wait until next Tuesday? I've got a shower screaming my name back at my room," Cloud groaned obviously not in the mood to play the Defend-Yourself-to-Stay-Alive-From-Reno's-Gang-game that Reno seemed so fond of.

"Not a chance, Strife! You're gonna pay for making me suffer from our instructor's agonizing torture! Thanks to you I'm not only stuck with water rations for two months but I also have to shuck out the chocobo stables for six months!" Reno steamed pissed off already as he growled and glared at the blonde cadet.

"Aww, poor baby-would you like some cheese with that wine? Tch, it's your own fault making up such a lousy excuse!" Cloud drawled sarcasm dripping off of his tongue.

"Grr, that does it! Boys make him suffer I want to hear him scream bloody murder for mercy!" Reno ordered his gang in his most venomous voice.

_"I guess that's my cue to run like hell,"_ Cloud thought before darting back down the way he'd previously come. Cloud was not wrong in assuming that Reno and his gang was hot on his tail for the angry shouts, the timed thudded beats and squeaks of booted feet on the tiled floor and the bullets being rained down on him was a sure dead giveaway. Rounding the corner Cloud cursed when he saw a dead end. Trapped, Cloud wheeled back and found himself glaring defiantly at the leering faces of Reno and his gang that awaited him.

"Haha, this is going to be fun," Reno sneered preparing to strike at the crouching blonde who was ready to defend himself from whatever Reno and his gang threw at him. Cloud's gloved hand reached behind his shoulder to grip the hilt of his zanbantou ready to swing it at the invisible signal that adversaries know when to dance to.

"What's going on here!" a sharp feminine voice cut through the tension making Reno do a double take. Turning to look behind his gang, Reno sneered at the raven female that stood before them with crossed arms and a penetrating stare that she fixed them with her midnight blue eyes like that of a hawk daring its meal to bite at its talons.

Cloud when he saw the female had to bite back a gasp at the beauty before him. Cloud was wishing he could drown himself in those eyes like that of the midnight sky at night with the green glow around the pupil signifying that the female was a SOLDIER of Shinra. But unlike any of the other Soldiers within the facility the female didn't clad herself in the accustomed uniform of one. Instead the female's clothing gave Cloud the distinct impression that this woman was a kunoichi; although, after the Wutai war between Shinra SOLDIERS and the shinobi had ended not too long ago. So it was a wonder why this female was here in SOLDIER of all places.

The kunoichi wore a black fishnet tank with a midnight blue wavy tank that only had one strap stretching over the left shoulder. The end of the shirt slanted down from just above the abdomen to the right hip. Over this shirt was a black spandex like sports bra slash belly halter with the only strap thinning into a tiny cord as it traveled from the right armpit to up the kunoichi's right shoulder and collar bone to wrap around the neck like a choker necklace.

Black spandex shorts stopped at the mid-thigh with the cloth of the same midnight-blue see-through material bound in a knot over the shorts. The cloth bound at the left hip and slanted down to the right knee cap while a single black cord that had flaming crimson red beads that looked like there was fire dancing within them, with a gold strip around the middle of the beads at the end of the cord wrapped around the waist like a belt.

Black bandages adorned the female's arms from the elbow to disappear underneath the black fingerless gloves with silver metal guards over the knuckles.

Over her legs were also black bandages that started at just below the knee cap and twisted down the calf to end at the arch of the foot which, strangely, were shoeless. White medical tape bound two brown pouches at each thigh over shorts, two green but smaller pouches were on each hip with a katana that had blue bandages wrapped around the hilt tucked in the cloth before the pouch on the left hip and another katana with gold bandages wrapped around its hilt both of which were in black sheaths. In between the green pouches were five black, cylindrical scroll containers. Over the calves were harnesses that kept the two pairs of Sais from stabbing the raven's legs with the two pairs of Sais looking completely opposite from the other. The pair of sais on the outer calf were of an ebony black color as the blade and hilt with a forest green line carving its way up the sides of the hilt that had a forest green wolf howling at the butt of the hilt. The pair of sais on the inner calf were of an ivory, bone white color and the blade was a three-pronged blade with the hilt also white a golden yellow line swirled around the hilt which had a tiger's head in the midst of a roar at the butt of the hilt.

Over the raven's back was a large zanbantou of a blood and tuscan red and a huge but shadowed nine-tailed fox in black was engraved on the side of the zanbantou with its head acting as the guard with its jaws looking like it was trying to eat its clawed paw that acted as the hilt, it's nine tails flowing behind the fox and around to the other side of the zanbantou's blade.

To complete the kunoichi outfit a black mask covered the lower half of the raven's face fitting snugly over the nose and tightening over the jaw-line and a small portion of the neck. Then a hitae-ate of black cloth with a silver metal plate that had what looked like a leaf engraved in the middle that was bound at the back of the head just under the white medical tape that bound the kunoichi's hair in a french-braided ponytail that ended at the knees. Reno smirked not noticing the luminous glow of green mako in the kunoichi's eyes as a mark of SOLDIER.

"Oh nothing, just showing the new guy how to get around the place without getting lost. He's only been here for a couple days and doesn't know where everything is just yet," Reno lied in response.

"Really? I didn't think cornering someone was what he had in mind especially with guns and nightsticks poised at him in a threatening manner nor do I think is it also the SOLDIER's policy. We have people created for such purpose and if you say what is true then the associates at the desk would have requested one to do so for this "new guy" as you say," the kunoichi deadpanned. Cloud had to put up a lot of effort to suppress his grin in amusement as he watched Reno scowl in irritation. Said red head shuffled up to the female in an intimidating manner.

"And who are you to have a say in other people's business? I have half a mind to beat you to a pulp along with him right now," Reno sneered at the raven.

"If you did have half a mind which I now doubt from what I just witnessed, you would realize not to mess with my authority over you to where I can suspend you from the SOLDIER program—**_permanently_**," the female growled in a cold tone that matched the death glare in her midnight blue eyes.

"Y-You? Authority? Pu-lease! The only people to have the power to do that would be the President of Shinra, The General of SOLDIER, and the Captain of SHINOBI," Reno shot back haughtily.

"Yeah and I'll give you three guesses of which of the three I am, I'll give a hint, I'm not the General nor do I want to be a president," the kunoichi snarled after grabbing Reno by the collar of his tunic to bring the red head closer to the raven's face and give him a leveling glare that just dared him to call bluff on her.

It was just then that Reno finally noticed the green spark of mako swimming in those midnight blue irises. The green spark to which proved the Captain's words true to the red head's misfortune.

"O-Oh-well…um….I-uh—aw, shit!" Reno spluttered in the concept of that he was treading in dangerous waters with someone that could very well have his hide thrown into a mako reactor without anyone ever the wiser.

"Humph, I thought so and let's see how many lackeys we have to accompany you on this grand tour-ten, whew! Well then I say that's ten months of water rations and mucking out chocobo stables. What a lovely thing you've volunteered for, we should tell the General of your generous tasks so he knows why you'll be so busy for the next ten months before and after classes. To make sure none of you get lost on the way I'll give you boys some guides to help you to General Sephiroth's office," the now revealed Captain ordered with fake innocence.

Before anyone of Reno's "volunteers" could complain, a poof of smoke appeared before them dispersing afterwards to reveal ten more kunoichis ready to escort Reno's gang up to the General's office.

"And you Reno, don't think don't I know of your punishment you received from your combat instructor thanks to that little stunt you failed to perform correctly. So I'll have a personal escort for you up to General Sephiroth's office to find a more suitable punishment for you since you seem to think that water rations and mucking out chocobo dung isn't a good enough punishment for you," the Captain said producing two more doppelgangers to grab Reno by each arm and march the whining red head up to the feared General of SOLDIER. With that nuisance squashed, the Captain was able to turn and look at Cloud.

"Are you alright? I saw you running from that poor excuse of a mob, if it weren't for running down a dead end I'm sure you could have handled yourself. Anyone who could wield a zanbantou like yours is bound to be more than match for eleven people despite whether they have guns and nightsticks," the Captain inquired of Cloud.

"I'm fine, but I thought it was against regulations to fight one another when not in a training room or class?" Cloud asked not sure whether to feel embarrassed at having been seen running away from the enemy or proud that someone had praised his fighting skill at being able to fight off eleven people with nothing but a zanbantou and some materia for magic spells that were only half mastered.

"True, but when you're being attacked, you're not just going to sit back and let them take a shot at you when you have that massive sword to defend yourself with, are you? That's just plain suicide against guns and nightsticks," the Captain countered looking at Cloud like he had inhaled too much laughing gas that's made him laugh himself silly.

"Oh, well I am Cloud Strife Cadet trainee for SOLDIER," Cloud offered an opening for an introduction to the Captain he'd never really heard of up until now.

"Oh sorry, I'm Salira Drystilia, Captain of the SHINOBI division of Shinra," the Captain looked appalled at the fact that she was so rude as to not introduce herself to someone she'd saved from a gang.

"If you don't mind my asking, why is it that I've never heard of the SHINOBI division up until now? I thought there was only the Turks and SOLDIER," Cloud inquired in a puzzled manner.

"That's because no one is really ever interested in ninja. They're more concerned with SOLDIER and their big flashy swords and mako spelled materia," Salira explained rolling her eyes as if she couldn't believe how everyone could make SOLDIER such a big deal when it's really not.

"Oh," was all Cloud could think to say to this revelation.

"Well Strife-san, I think it would be best if I were to escort you back to your quarters since it is well past curfew and we wouldn't want you be stuck in the same punishments as Reno and his friends, now would we?" Salira offered gesturing for the chocobo-blonde boy to walk with the kunoichi.

"Uh, well, no, Arigatou Captain," Cloud thanked the generous kunoichi and fell in step at her side.

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**M.K.- "Well that's the end of that Chapter. Check back for the next one and please review I do need some feedback to know what I'm doing wrong every now and then. Also it may seem like this is going slow but remember that this is only the beginning of the story so right now I'm focusing on the currently important characters and then the action will pick up to explosions and monsters."**

**Zack- "Nonsense! You're doing great! Now when do I enter in this wonderful story?"**

**M.K.- "Patience is a virtue, Zack."**


	2. Chapter 2: “The Way of the Shinobi

**M.K.-**_(Walks in bobbing her head to the music playing through the ear buds jammed on her ears)_

**M.K.-"Here's Chapter 2! Could someone do the disclaimer for me? The good part of this song is coming up!"**

**Cloud-"I'll do it! Hum-hum-C.G. does not own Final Fantasy VII or Naruto if she did she would be a multibillionaire and be able to get another car without any hassle."**

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**-Chapter 2: "The Way of the Shinobi: Awaken Your Inner Power"-**

The next day brought a new surprise for Cloud when he walked into his tactics and strategy class the following morning.

"Uh, Captain-sama…what are you doing here?" the boy didn't mean to be so blunt, especially in front of other training-to-be SOLDIERS but the situation he had just walked into had completely dumbfounded him. There leaning against the teacher's desk was the Captain looking as though it wasn't strange for a kunoichi to be in the middle of a classroom full of people wanting to be in SOLDIER not SHINOBI.

"Your instructor had some family issues back at home and I volunteered to take over until he returns," Salira merely explained. Cloud could do nothing but shrug and take his seat at the back of the classroom by the window as the bell rang signaling the start of class.

"Alright class, your instructor didn't leave me a.k.a. your combat substitute any notes on your progress or what I am supposed to teach you next so we'll just start with the basics, but first we need to take attendance," Salira informed the students.

"Appleton?"

"Present!"

"Kingsley?"

"Here!"

After attendance was completed Salira moved onto the lesson with a couple of groans from the class. See, the tactics and strategy class of C-4 wasn't exactly lively. Half of the class was too stupid to answer the questions making Cloud wonder how they were ever going to make it into SOLDIER while the other half were just too lazy to care enough to pay attention this early in the morning.

"Let's start with the simplest of questions-" Salira began only to be interrupted.

"-Yeah, will you marry me?" one student drawled earning a few snickers from the classmates around him.

"Not very tactful are you…Streaks-san? First of all when you propose to a woman, you don't just blurt it all out like a train wreck. You have to plan a strategy and be tactful to sweep the woman of your dreams off of her feet," Salira explained with an annoying smile.

"-Uh, well-I would-" Streaks tried to reply with a good response but the words drowned in confusion somewhere in between Streak's brain and lips.

"I guess that leads back to my original question which is very simple if you think about it," Salira spoke with an amused smirk.

"What-**is**-tactics?"

"Oh," Streaks uttered stupidly.

Cloud shook his head at the student as if this was a question Streaks should already know, which he should considering he'll have to know this if he's ever going be able to survive on a battle-field against a monster all by himself. There are some monsters you can't just dive at and start hacking and slashing with your sword at it like some brute.

"Anyone? Don't be shy now, it's not as if I'll chuck a shuriken at the first hand that pops up or anything," Salira joked.

_"Ah, what the hell!"_ Cloud thought rolling his eyes as he raised his hand.

"Yes Strife-san, would you be so kind as to enlighten us on what tactics are? Salira asked beaming at the fact that not everybody was a total vegetable in this classroom.

"Tactics is a military science that deals with securing objectives set by strategy, especially the technique of deploying and directing troops, ships, and aircraft in effective maneuvers against an enemy," Cloud rattled off as if he knew this by heart which he did since he studied this material even before he joined the SOLDIER training program.

"That is correct, but I recall you mentioning strategy in there-could you please explain to me what strategy is now and what makes it different from tactics?" Salira tossed another question onto the table.

"You mean they aren't the same thing?" another student piped up in curiosity.

"No," Cloud answered before Salira could making the student turn to him looking at the blonde like the student was expecting Cloud to follow up with his answer. Cloud didn't disappoint the student.

"Strategy or Strategics is a plan, method, or series of maneuvers or stratagems for obtaining a specific goal or result. The distinction between strategy and tactics is with strategy you are utilizing during both peace and war of all of a nation's forces, through large-scale and long-ranged planning and development, to ensure security or victory. With tactics you deal with the use of deployment of troops in actual combat," Cloud explained.

"Correct again, in simpler terms; Strategy is a broad plan of action through both war and peaceful terms whereas tactics are a means to carry out that strategy in battle," Serena explained more in depth.

Now the class looked more interested in their sub-instructor making Salira wonder what the instructor she was filling in for had been doing in this class?

"So say for instance, you are returning from a recon mission from behind enemy lines. Half of your men are out of commission due to poison mysteriously winding up in their food suggesting there may be a traitor in your midst of brother-in-arms but you don't know who nor do you have time to stop to interrogate. The other half is exhausted from carrying the half across the mountainous terrain you are currently trying to bypass to get home. Suddenly you are ambushed by enemy troops that had somehow been notified of your location even though you've made sure there were no tracks to be detected and you made sure everyone had covered every inch of their person with a scent disguising gel from Shinra tech. This tells you they had been notified by the traitor in your group how to slip ahead of you. How would you resolve this situation and explain why you chose to use that method." Salira asked letting the question hang in the open air for anyone in the class to answer. Cloud was the only one brave enough to raise his hand to try and answer.

"Not just yet, Cloud. I want someone else to try to answer and then we'll see what you have in mind," Salira said wagging a finger in the blonde's direction.

_"So she's trying to get other people in the class to pay attention and break the ice,"_ Cloud realized with an accepting nod.

"Anyone other than Strife-san? C'mon now don't let me have to pick on an unsuspecting student," Salira encouraged. Dead silence.

"Okay," Salira said in a manner that suggested that this was getting old real quick. Picking up the attendance sheet, Salira skimmed through the list of names.

"Hmm, how about Minks-san, would you please share us your thoughts about the situation?" Salira asked aloud.

Now everyone but Cloud, Salira, and Minks sniggered in their hands or lap. If there was anyone who had it rougher than Cloud, it was Stalint Minks. The story was, while his mother was pregnant with Stalint, Link, Stalint's father, had been given the Purple Heart from President Shinra himself due to making sure everyone of his troop under Link's command had made it across the enemy borders to homeland before passing from this world due to blood loss from multiple shot wounds to the torso. They say Link was shot six times and yet still managed to run back and forth between the borders lugging each comrade across to safety. Hearing the news of her deceased lover, Marina Minks fell into depression. She fell so hard and so far that the only thing that could keep her standing was alcohol and drugs regardless of the fact that a spark of life still lingered in her womb. When delivery came, Marina was able to give one final push to let Stalint come bawling into this world before succumbing to the darkness of eternal sleep. Marina died giving birth due thinned blood from alcohol and drugs. Zigler Lemmings, Marina's father was the only one left to take in poor, parentless Stalint. Unfortunately for Stalint, Zigler was army bred so as soon as opportunity came along, the grandfather had Stalint signed up for SOLDIER. There was nothing wrong with Stalint physically, but when it comes to thinking out problems, that's where things get a little slow.

Brown, army-cut hair, with a clean shaven face and the hazel eyes Stalint inherited from Marina. Poor Stalint scowled vainly at the sniggers thrown at his slumping form with his arms folded on top of his desk.

"What's so funny? If there's a joke then let's hear it! But unless you want water rations for a month, you'll refrain from using someone else's expense for your selfish amusement!" Salira voice cut through the sniggers like someone pulling a fire alarm in the middle of a lecture from the President of Shinra himself. Anyone stupid enough to look up to sneer at the teacher quickly fell silent after taking on glance at those cold, glaring eyes as if ice knives were digging at your soul for worm food.

_"I'm just glad I wasn't on the receiving end of that glare. Yeesh, she makes the General look like the Easter Bunny!"_ Cloud cringed in thought and then did a double take to imagine the great General Sephiroth of SOLDIER clad in a pink and white Easter Bunny suit hopping around the Shinra facilities handing out candy and bright colored eggs. Cloud had to bite down on his tongue to keep himself from sniggering. Salira's eyes softened to an encouraging but polite look to which she directed on to Stalint.

"Go ahead, Stalint, it's alright," Salira encouraged the boy.

"Uh, well, um, what are the terrains like? Has it rained a couple days prior to the situation?" Stalint asked.

"Well it's mountain you're on, so there's actually going to be snow," Salira answered.

"Ok," Stalint putting those gears in his brain into overdrive.

"I would try to find a cave to hold out in, make a diversion so the enemy is distracted and hide in the cave. You're on a mountain right? So there's bound to be a cave somewhere that's big enough to take shelter with a full scouting party to fit comfortably and yet the opening would be small enough to keep your enemies from charging in. There's also bound to be some snow squalls and blizzards in those mountains that would drive away in retreat or to take shelter," Stalint explained.

"Good idea, Stalint. You recognized that you and your men were in no condition to fight and if you did your men would have lost their heads among the snow quicker than a goshawk swooping after its prey," Salira complimented leaving a smile of success on Stalint's face.

"But there's also too many ifs in your plan. Here's a rule of thumb that you must always abide by, if there is more than three ifs in your plan then abandon it. Too many ifs can cost your men's and your life. What if you had ran into that cave and found a mountain bear or some cave monster inhabiting that cave? You would be stuck outside leaving your enemies to take revenge for the stunt you pulled on them," Salira explained.

"Cloud? What would you have done in a situation like this?" Salira finally asked the blonde.

"I would also retreat to a shelter, but I would also send a scout or two back to ally troops under the cover diversion. While help is on the way, I would try to use the terrain against the enemy and set traps. While eyes we are down to half our man power there other ways to wear down the enemy until help arrives. If you do by any chance come across an uninhabited cave you could always cast a fire materia on the top of the mountain to create an avalanche which would drive away your enemies or kill them. There's always the chance of being trapped in the cave but at least no one is firing bullets and magic at you and this way you can heal your men and interrogate for the traitor until help arrives," Cloud answered as best as he could.

"Yes that's true, but how would you survive? You don't know how far away ally troops are giving you an undetermined amount of time it would take to get to you let alone discover the cave buried under all that snow. And let's not forget we don't know how many rations we have and who knows how long your water and food supply runs out," Salira explained to the spiky chocobo who looked as though he'd never thought of it that way.

"See with that situation you've made yourself not one but two enemies. The enemy troops waiting outside and time itself. Tactics isn't just about planning to take down the enemy. It's making sure that you get the job done successfully and making sure to get you and everyone of your troops back exactly the way they were before you started your mission, alive! Before anything else-your mission, your food supply, your comrades comes first! Learn the value of teamwork for even two people can make the difference between being food chow for some random monster out there and being safely back in your bunks and NOT dead," Salira lectured.

"Aw, screw comrades! I can take on any monster out there!" one random student foolishly decided to yell from the back.

Quicker than a flash the room became several degrees colder like someone was walking on your grave as Salira fixed the student with a glare that just spelled D.E.A.T.H. Releasing enough killer intent to choke the summon Ifrit. The poor boy could do nothing but soil his pants and quiver in fear.

"If that's what you truly believe then get out of this classroom. Better yet, pack your bags and go back home because I can tell you right now there isn't an instructor or Shinra approval that will take on a low-life like you who thinks he's so high and mighty that he doesn't need any help. SOLDIER operates as a team, true there are times when you must work alone but more often than not you'll be working with a group of at least twelve or more Shinra cadets and troops," Salira said coldly.

"I once had a sensei that held a belief that those who break the rules are trash but those who abandon their teammates are worse than trash and I believe in everyone of those words," Salira stated with such conviction that some students were staring wide eyed at the instructor. Cloud was the few that were already staring at his sub-instructor in awe and respect.

_"She speaks of this as if she herself had gone through numerous hardships that bring these words true,"_ Cloud mused.

_"Just what are you hiding behind that mask? Where do you come from? Why do you speak as if you've personally gone through these horrors you tell of? How come every time I catch a glance form your eyes they look so alone and dead as if you've been thrown into a bear cave with the opening collapsed and you've been left to rot for a good two millenniums or more?"_ Cloud wondered as he narrowed his eyes in concentration to peer curiously at the figure shrouded in a choking veil of mystery and wonder that that stood before Cloud as the fill-in instructor for his tactics and strategy class.

Just then the dismissal bell rang.

"Before anyone leaves, write a reminder down in your log book to meet me at training ground seven next lesson. That is all," Salira shouted above the roar of noise out in the hall. Throughout the rest of the day, Cloud couldn't get Salira and the lesson in the tactics and strategy class out of his head. By the end of the day, Cloud was still so deep in thought that he nearly missed a muffled voice crying out in pain with a yelp. Cloud did a double take searching all around him for the source of the noise.

"Huh?" Cloud mumbled when he heard another yelp followed by what sounded like a snigger. Turning back around, Cloud looked around the corner of a corridor that branched off to the right and caught a glimpse of a red ponytail after he inched an eye around, he also saw what unbelievably looked like the head of army-cut brown.

_"__Reno__ is sinking so low as to pick on Stalint as well? That bastard!"_ Cloud growled in his head. Taking the zanbantou out of its sheath, Cloud carefully maneuvered his body around the corner as quietly as he possibly could. Raising a hand, Cloud used the materia in his sword to murmur a quick spell under his breath.

Reno gave a yelp as fire burst aflame on his shoulder. The goons that were once crowded around Stalint alongside their gang leader, now stumbled back away to keep themselves from catching fire that had now spread to Reno's hair. Using the moment of surprise, Cloud leaped into action by snatching the back of Stalint's shirt and yanked the boy around the corner. Holding a hand to Stalint's mouth to prevent him from screaming, Cloud held a finger to his mouth to signal for Stalint to be quiet.

Once Stalint's frightened hazel eyes saw Cloud's alert sky blue ones the punching bag victim of Reno and his gang calmed down from his panic attack at the thought that someone else was trying to do him harm. Cloud made another gesture for the boy to follow Cloud **_silently_**. All Stalint could do was nod his head vigorously; however, the duo had barely made it to halfway down the corridor when a goon rounding the very same corner spotted them.

"There they are, boss! Cloud was the one that pulled that stunt on you Reno-san," the goon tattled on them.

"Shit, run!" Cloud hissed to Stalint shoving the boy faster down the corridor to gain whatever lead they could between the pursuing bullies and to safety. Whipping around, Cloud released a lightning spell on the goon who yelped as he was thrown to floor from aftershock. Cloud wheeled back around to run after Stalint who had gained yards ahead of the blonde somehow.

_"Why hasn't this guy gone out for football? He could damn well be a running back!"_ Cloud wondered.

"What are you doing lying around on the floor? Get off your lazy ass you bum and help me catch those two punks!" Reno yelled at the goon as he jumped over the guy to race after Cloud and Stalint.

"Spread out! Try to cut them off! Just do something damn it instead of mindlessly running after them like a bunch of idiotic drones!" Cloud heard Reno shout his order.

_"Shit!" _Cloud thought and put on an extra burst of speed to catch up with Stalint. Grabbing the said boy by the elbow, Cloud yanked Stalint down a random corridor in an attempt to throw off their pursuers.

"This way!" Cloud uttered into Stalint's ear and then took a sharp right and then left. To the left was a stairwell that led to the main floor but Cloud didn't count on Reno's goons to be waiting with a leg out.

Down Stalint and Cloud went tumbling and rolling from step to step until they smacked into the wall at the end of the landing. Groaning, Cloud forced himself to his feet fumbling for his grip on his zanbantou but no sooner had he corrected his grip and BANG was heard something hot and fast sent the head cleaver flying out of Cloud's hand. It sailed in a flipping glee over Cloud's head only to embed itself in the floor near an unmoving Stalint.

A knee then found its way into Cloud's gut knocking the wind out of him which was followed by a punch to the face that knocked the blonde to the ground. A stinging sensation announced its presence angrily in Cloud's nose letting his brain know that it had been abused and broken unfairly.

"Thought you could get away did ya?" cam a voice from a throat that Cloud would just love to pour lye down if it would keep the user from speaking anymore.

Cloud's arms were then seized and pulled roughly to discomforting position behind his back and fingernails clawed and dug at the blonde's scalp to yank back on his sunshine yellow hair forcing Cloud to look up into those sneering brown eyes of a bastard named Reno.

"A pity that fire didn't also burn away what little brain cells you store up there in that vacuum you call a brain," Cloud sneered to hide the fear of the coming pain he knew awaited him.

WHACK!

That's going to be a nice sunrise in Cloud's left eye. Stalint must have groaned in his unconsciousness state because Reno was now walking over to the boy.

"Oi! Wake up, I'm not done with you yet!" Reno sneered while kicking poor unconscious Stalint in the torso.

"Yeah, like kicking the poor boy will make him wake up any faster," Cloud drawled.

Instantly the desired affect took place. Reno's attention had focused back on Cloud instead of the limp and defenseless Stalint.

"Oh shut up, blondie! No one asked you! What? You want more punishment-then be my guest!" Reno snarled letting loose a fist at Cloud's jaw. Cloud dawned on an expressionless look to show Reno that pain is meaningless to the blonde and the red head might as well be hitting a statue instead.

"Boys, I think it's time we teach this punk a lesson," Reno said to his goons.

The goons smirked and sneered cracking the knuckles as they leered at the blonde. Cloud couldn't even blink before Reno and his goons converged on him like line backers tackling a running back. Cloud made sure that he didn't even grunt to show his pain for fear of weakness in front of his enemies. Just when the black talons of unconsciousness were beginning to reach out for him, Cloud heard something like that of a scream of rage. The punches and kicks paused in surprise and Cloud was able to open his only eye that wasn't already swollen shut and gasped at the site of Stalint staggering to his feet with a pissed of glare and Colt .45 directed at Reno and his gang.

"Let-Cloud-Go!" Stalint demanded in a cold voice.

"Hmph, like you could even get a shot-" Reno was interrupted by a BANG sound. A hole smoke its presence in the wall just slightly to the left of Reno's right ear. Stalint may be slow in the head but he was still known as the one of the top snipers in his class.

"Stalint, don't! I'm fine-you need to run and get help!" Cloud tried to persuade Stalint but it was if coal had been shoved down Stalint's ears. Stalint didn't move for help.

"Why you little punk!" Reno growled lunging for the trainee.

"What's going on here?" a deep yet strong voice barked it's question making itself heard as easily as a foghorn being wailed in someone's ear. Everything once again came to a halt to see who the voice belonged to. Reno, pissed off at so many interruptions turned to the voice to let the voice know of his thoughts and opinion.

"Oh piss off you-" the rest of the words crashed and burned on its way to Reno's lips as the red head saw two very respected people in Shinra that could very well have this insolent bug known as Reno be used as a target dummy for shooting practice for misconduct toward a superior officer.

_"I'm fucked,"_ was all Reno could think as he gulped.

Standing at the bottom of the staircase that showed a miniscule peek of the first floor, were two SOLDIERS. One was clad in the usual black tunic, trousers and state of the art armor with a huge zanbantou not unlike Cloud's strapped to his back. He had black spiky hair and sapphire blue eyes with the hint of mako green testifying of his experimental journey of SOLDIER. Zack Fair first class SOLDIER and apprentice to the late SOLDIER instructor Angeal known to be one of General Sephiroth's best friends. Standing next to Zack was the General Sephiroth himself clad in his black leather body suit and boots and gloves with the silver armor and trench coat. Silver hair cascaded down the man's hips and mako green eyes were narrowed suspiciously at the scene before him. Leather gloved hands grasped the hilt of the legendary masamune that was rumored to be twice as long as the man's arm and weighed just as much.

"I said what is going on here? Why do you have a gun pointed at this man, and why were you about to lunge at him?" Sephiroth interrogated the two boys as he made his way up the stairs with Zack in toe.

"And why do you have Strife-san with his arms pinned behind his back?" another more feminine voice added making everyone turn towards the top of the next flight of stairs that Cloud and Stalint had fallen from.

"Captain-sama!" Cloud managed to get out in surprise.

"Release him! Now!" Salira barked with steel edged into her voice.

"Zack-san, would you please fetch a healer? I do believe these two cadets require medical attention," the General requested of the SOLDIER. Before the male raven could even make for the stairs Reno decided to do something stupid again.

_"I'm not going down that easily!"_ Reno thought regardless of the fact that anymore violent actions in front of the General of SOLDIER would render him dropped from the SOLDIER training program and sent packing back home.

Cloud saw the look in Reno's face, saw the twitch in the red head's hands and body language that suggested that Reno was going to pull a dirty move on unsuspecting Stalint. HE also saw that the Captain, General and Zack had seen the gesture too. The blonde also vaguely recalled of Reno's goons releasing the blonde's arms. But the one thing Cloud remembered the most was the swelling rise of anger and the need to make sure Stalint would come out of this situation intact. Then the most wonderful feeling gushed over him like that of cool yet empowering waterfall. The next thing Cloud knew was that his fist was buried deep in Reno's gut knocking enough winds out of the red head that Reno could do nothing but slump to the ground like a domino made of jelly. Now Cloud could do nothing but brace himself for the brief contact with his face to the cold cement under his feet. If someone hadn't caught him before he'd even fell halfway to the floor that is. When Cloud opened his eye, he was greeted with the site of midnight blue eyes that had widened in shock as if what Cloud had just done was something that should have never happened in this world.

"What was that?" Cloud asked in a hushed voice.

"That Cloud, was you finding your nindo," Salira answered before Cloud surrendered himself to the blissful arms of unconsciousness.

**M.K.-"There's Chappie 2."**

**Cloud-"What's a nindo?"**

**Zack-"Yeah and why did you have to end it there? It was just getting good!"**

**M.K.-"Well this is an adventure and suspense fanfic silly I have to have hangcliffers to keep my readers on the edge of their seats. And you'll find out what a nindo is in the next chapter. In the mean time please read and review please!"**


	3. “The Way of the Shinobi: What’s a Nindo?

**M.K. –"I am SO sorry for not updating in so long!"**

**M.K.-"I do not own Final Fantasy VII or Naruto if I did I would have been a multibillionaire a long time ago."**

**~Chapter 3: "The Way of the Shinobi: What's a Nindo?"~**

When Cloud woke up three days later the first thing he felt was pain. White hot pain that flared into a supernova at each tiny movement Cloud. His ribs felt like a at least four of them were fractured if not broken, his nose still yelling at his brain about its abuse, his left eye was swollen shut but had returned to a healthy red color with a few traces of blue instead of black and purple. Not to mention his limbs and head felt stiff and lethargic from not being used for such a long period of time. When the pain subsided enough, Cloud was able to open his eye only to his in pain yet again at the blinding light the peered through the blinds of the window next to his cot. After blinking the multicolored spots from his vision sound was the next sense to awaken as Cloud heard muffled voices somewhere to his left. Through gritted teeth Cloud was barely able to turn his head toward the source of noise and Cloud had to stop to hold his breath and widen his eye in shock.

_"Why is **the** Zack Fair slumped in a chair next to my cot sound asleep?"_

Cloud had already gathered that someone had brought his unconscious body to the medical wing of Shinra's SOLDIER facilities and that was fine. But Cloud hadn't really expected anyone to stay at his bedside like he was special when Cloud knew he wasn't. And now this person of all people chose sit next to Cloud's cot while the blonde was unconscious. What makes him-Cloud-this exceptional? Doesn't Zack have papers to do or a General to pester?

_"Wait! Stalint-what happened to Stalint? Is he okay? And __Reno__! Did he get expelled? How long have I been out?" _Cloud questioned in his mind when everything that had happened came rushing back into his head. Cloud chewed on his bottom lip when another thought entered his head as he remembered how he'd stopped Reno from pulling a dirty move on Stalint.

_"More importantly, what was that power? Where did it come from? It was like I had this feeling to protect Stalint and felt so pissed off as __Reno__ for sinking so low. Then a bubble popped and flood of power washed over me letting all of my senses sharpen to the point where I could tell which way a burst of a breeze of wind had come from. The tang of blood and gun smoke had become more pungent that I wanted to puke my guts out. I felt lighter on my toes and the rest of my body felt more fluid. Even now my senses are still like this. I can pick out the different strands in Zack's hair, the subtle rises of his chest as it rose and fell from each breath the Soldier took. I remember just I was just kneeling on the floor and I moved to stop __Reno__ and the next thing I know my fist is buried in __Reno__'s gut."_

"Hold on, what's a nindo?" Cloud blurted aloud when he remembered what Salira told him before Cloud had passed out. Apparently Cloud was a bit too loud with vocalizing his thoughts because Zack's head snapped up with a snort and jerk. The ocean blue eyes with the taint of mako green were half open from the fog of sleep.

"Huh? Was tha-who woke me up before I wanted to be woke up? Bastard I'll pound you into the ground for waking me up!" Zack growled while rubbing the sand from his eyes and stretched.

_"I guess he's not a morning person despite how much of a hyperactive knucklehead he's been known to be,"_ Cloud mused in his head.

"Huh-oh! You're awake, geeze you scared the crap out of us earlier," Zack exclaimed excitedly when he finally noticed that Cloud was awake and staring at the raven SOLDIER. Cloud sweat dropped.

_"His mood swings are worse than a girl on PMS."_

"Um-what are you doing here?" Cloud couldn't help but blurt when the question wouldn't stop bugging him. Zack chuckled.

"Watching over you, silly! Why else would I be here? Do you think I just go around sleeping in uncomfortable chairs for the heck of it?" Zack answered amused.

"No, I mean why are you watching over me? I mean bugging the General must be more entertaining than watching someone lie around like a bump on a log," Cloud rephrased his question to get a better answer.

"Geeze, am I that predictable? It's like everyone knows that I love pissing off the General or something. And for your information I was ordered to watch over you so I can tell the Captain and General when you wake up. Not only that, but I also wanted to be the first one to congratulate you for that sweet punch you gave Reno. Man that was awesome-I mean I didn't even realize you had moved until Reno had already slumped to the ground," Zack proclaimed the blonde cadet.

A blush bloomed on Cloud's pale cheeks at the praise.

"Um, what happened to Stalint and Reno?" Cloud asked to get the praise off of him.

"Stalint's fine, he was released from the Hospital Wing yesterday an-you've been out of it for three days by the way-and the asshole Reno has been sent home and dropped from the SOLDIER training program permanently," Zack answered with a snicker.

Cloud grit his teeth as he moved to sit up.

"H-Hey! Take it easy! Let me help you at least," Zack said as he hurriedly got up from his chair and helped to brace Cloud's back while propping a spare pillow to help support the blonde's back when the Cadet trainee leaned back.

"Do you know where Captain-sama is at? I have some questions I'd like to ask her," Cloud asked when the pain finally subsided.

"Yeah, I'll go get her," Zack answered before disappearing down the ward to open a door just left of the front entrance. Cloud heard Zack's deep voice mumble something and then a lighter more feminine voice answered back before Zack stepped aside to let the Captain, Head Nurse, and _(he gulped in nervousness) _the General step out and make their way toward the blonde patient.

"So you've woken up have you? Well then let me take a look at you before the war of questions begin," the Head Nurse said to the Cadet. After a few irritable and tedious questions, groans, and poking and prodding, the nurse finally walked back into her office after strictly telling Cloud that he was to stay in the wing for another three days and he was NOT to start swinging swords and spells the minute he was released from her care. Cloud fought hard to not roll his eyes and make sarcastic remarks when giving the Nurse his promise that Cloud will be a good boy.

"That's exactly why I hate hospitals!" Cloud growled when the Nurse disappeared. The General and Zack chuckled behind their hands in amusement while Salira shook her head in exasperation.

"Be glad she didn't tie you down to the bed. Now before your questions start swinging away let's get the interrogation questions down so we know the full story of what happened between you, Stalint and Reno and his gang," Salira told the blonde.

"Yes, as I am sure you probably know from Zack here, we already know the event from Minks-san and Reno (I've tried looking on every website there is but I have not been able to find out Reno's last name-if anyone out there knows it please let me know and I will correct it) but it would be nice to have your side of the story as well," Sephiroth finally spoke to the blonde cadet to the horror of poor Cloud. Managing to gulp down his nervousness Cloud nodded and began the tale of his adventure with Reno and Stalint. Of walking down the hallway and hearing Stalint's cries, how Cloud rescued the boy from Reno's clutches, how they had to run after being spotted and then the stairs. How Cloud did everything he could to keep Reno from attacking Stalint while he was unconscious. Then the beating and Stalint waking up, saw Reno and his Goons pounding on Cloud like there was no tomorrow. Then Stalint withdrew his firearm and commanded Reno to let Cloud go and shot off a warning when Reno didn't comply with Stalint's demands. Then the General, First Class SOLDIER Zack, and the Captain had stepped in and Salira knew the rest from then on.

"Well I'd say you've had your fair share of adventure. Needless to say, because of Reno having crossed the line one too many times, he and his "friends" have all been sent packing to return home," The General informed the Cadet.

"That's nice to know General-sama," Cloud said with a grin to the masamune wielder much to the General's surprise at such friendliness.

"Well, I'd hate to interrupt but I believe Cloud has waited long enough to have some of his questions answered from me, so if you'd be so kind?" Salira didn't want to intrude on this moment but Salira could tell Cloud was still uneasy around Sephiroth and to be honest she herself was growing rather weary of the interrogation. Enough so that Salira went ahead and took the seat Zack had previously occupied.

"Ah yes, my apologies. Well we'll leave you two to your conversations-Zack come along now," the General said and made his way out of the hospital ward.

"Hey spiky, don't get too comfortable there, me and you are gonna have to hang out sometime you here?" Zack said to the blonde with a grin before disappearing after the General.

Cloud smiled in humor at the Soldier while shaking his head.

"Ok, Cloud fire away!" Salira got the ball rolling on the questions Cloud was dying to ask.

"Ok, well first of all what's a nindo? And what was that power I felt flowing within me?" Cloud asked the two most prominent questions that was bounding around Cloud's head.

"A nindo is the way or path of a Shinobi. It's the life, actions and values he holds dear and what he vows to do to protect them. Once you declare something a part of your nindo you never back down for go back on it for that's the way of a Shinobi," Salira explained and Cloud found himself immediately enraptured in the Captain's words as she explained the way of her people.

"The power you somehow seemed to have unlocked with yourself is known as Chakra. The very energy found within all forms of life through flora and fauna. It is this energy that a shinobi uses to bend the very forces of nature to their will so that they may fight to protect those that are dear to them. As young children, Shinobi are trained in both armed and unarmed combat they are shown useful ways to bring out and gain better control over their chakra," Salira construed what chakra is and what chakra means to a Shinobi's career and livelihood.

"So…..this _chakra_ is inside of me and if so why now does it take form?" Cloud asked curiously.

"There are two ways Chakra is unlocked, one is through dedicated day in and day out training from the early years of childhood or through need. You have to have a deeply, emotional desire to carry out the action you wish to perform thus unlocking your chakra barriers around your chakra pool which is what contains a being chakra. My guess is that because of your anger at Reno and the desire to protect Stalint is what gave you the push to unlock your chakra that you seemed to so mysteriously produce," Salira explained.

"Mysteriously? Why is it so mysterious?" Cloud inquired in puzzlement.

This is where Salira sighed from her knowledge of the inevitability of disclosing her past and her people's history after so many years of not letting anyone in. To show them her loneliness, her yearning to be with her deceased loved ones and friends and yet unable to do so due to that insufferable and cold-hearted witch. After the tragedy of her past had occurred Salira had closed her emotions and buried the secrets of her past in a place where no one could or would ever reach. Salira swore to herself that she wouldn't let anyone in after what had happened and yet it had been so long since Salira had seen an ounce of her kind and just looking at Cloud gave Salira the hope that she wouldn't be alone anymore. No longer the unnoticed looks of longing at families sitting down at the table and eating dinner together or people passing by would take place and Salira would finally be able to dampen the pain and emptiness in her heart that had grown ever so bigger throughout the years of her sole wandering with no companionship or someone to confide in with her fears and thoughts. Salira would have a friend at last, at least she hoped she would but then she was afraid. Afraid to put her trust in someone else again after being betrayed so cruelly that her soul and heart was screaming from being in torn in two different ways. To trust Cloud with her friendship and hope for the best that she would live from the consequences made the inner child and innocence in Salira bite her lip and hide her head in her arms and lap.

_"Well, Salira ready or not here does the pain come and I hope you know just what you are doing and know of what you are about to put yourself through because after this step there is no going back and if you come out of this like before who knows if you'll be able to get back up again,"_ Salira chided to herself in her head.

"Because Cloud, everybody else that holds chakra within their bodies and knows how to control it to the point of being able to use it in combat against their foes…..is dead," Salira bluntly answered with no emotion in her eyes or voice.

* * *

M.K.-"Well there you have it folks and again sorry for not posting in so long. College classes have started up and I've been stretching myself between work and school and studying so much that I've barely had time to write a paragraph."

M.K.-"Please Read and Review."


	4. The Way of the Shinobi: Brothers in Arm

M.K.-"Well there you have it folks and again sorry for not posting in so long. College classes have started up and I've been stretching myself between work and school and studying so much that I've barely had time to write a paragraph."

M.K.-"Please Read and Review."

M.K.-"Here's the next Chapter folks! Sephiroth if you will please do the disclaimer?"

Sephiroth-"Hn, M.K. does not own Final Fantasy VII or Naruto if she did she would have been a multibillionaire a long time ago."

* * *

**Chapter 4: "The Way of the Shinobi: Brothers in Arms"**

**Last Chapter:**

_"Because Cloud, everybody else that holds chakra within their bodies and knows how to control it to the point of being able to use it in combat against their foes…..is dead," Salira bluntly answered with no emotion in her eyes or voice._

**:End Review**

Cloud could only make a face of puzzlement at this revelation.

"It is said that there is two major life energies, Ki or spirit energy which is in every living thing that draws breath and produces life and Chakra or elemental energy the energy that is found in the different elements of nature-water, earth, fire, wind, lightning all the different elements you can think of this chakra is within it and it is also within you and every other person. There is also a Legend of how the deviation of Ki and Chakra began. The Legend is of two brothers. Both loved and respected each other. Both fought enemies using the gift of Ki. Until one day the youngest of the brothers stumbled upon this mysterious feeling while meditating. The feeling felt cool and more flowing than the rough and static feeling of Ki. Curious and not wanting to bother his brother over something that may be a trivial matter and the younger decided to meditate on these weird feelings more. When he did, the youngest brother discovered that this feeling wasn't a feeling but a great source of energy. Energy that was oh so close to the surface; energy that soothed and calmed the younger brother as if he were sniffing the mountain air at early dawn or was meditating under a waterfall. Day after day the younger brother delved deep into mediation striving to break the confines of the mysterious energy source so that he may examine it more. When his efforts proved to be successful, the power unlocked so many invisible doors and realities the younger brother had thought to be impossible. His senses sharpened dramatically, he could smell the smoke of a fire burning a few miles away, he could see the grass bend to the will of the breeze as clearly as if someone had slowed down time, he could feel the gravel and sticks underneath his person and could hear the shrieks and wails of the goshawk as it swooped after its prey a few miles away. Not only was his senses sharpened but his very movement seemed to be for fluid and watery rather than quick, aggressive jerks that had been ingrained to his body from the spars with his older brother. The very elements themselves seemed to reach out calling to the brother like some nymph attuned with nature. When the younger brother examined the elements closer he found the same fluid and soothing energy source flowing within them. The energy source in the ground seemed to be like the energy in the younger brother's body slow but supportive and spread to every part of a leaf and flower whereas in comparison to the water in the spring next to him the energy seemed to be very busy flowing and gushing from one point to the next but fluid and flexible. Fire too seemed to be busy when the younger brother examined the bonfire a few miles away as the flames licked and danced on the oak wood the energy flared and flaunted its power. The energy in the wind though was unreadable as at one moment the energy seemed to be floating in a leisure pace in no hurry to get to anywhere and the next the energy is in tumbles and twirls as it rushed and carried clouds and leaves within its embrace. The energy was also proven to be found in other human bodies and living creatures as the younger brother later found out in a spar with his older brother one day. The Ki seemed to be from within every single cell of his brother's person whereas this new energy source seemed to stay confined within one place at his brother's stomach. This lead the brother to believe that one cannot utilize this new energy source unless they know how to unlock it and have enough control over it to use it during combat and day to day uses. So the younger brother secretly trained to gain better control over the energy enough to where he could use it to draw the energy from the river to contort it into a powerful, crushing jet of water that plowed through boulders and trees. The fire exploded and bloomed into the far reaches of its confines and beyond when the brother experimented with it next and the earth seemed to rumble and growl as if a sleepy dragon was being awakened. The wind was the hardest to control as it was wild and untamable but eventually the brother was able to sharpen the wind to cut through leaves and logs. Finally realizing that this energy wasn't just something that should be ignored the younger brother took his findings and results to his Older Brother. Unfortunately the Older Brother felt different about this source of energy than the Younger Brother had expected he would. The Older said this power was rubbish and that it was only Ki that was the ultimate power that maintained the balance of nature and life and death.

Hurt from his brother's words and cold manner, the Younger angrily challenged the Older saying that if the Older didn't believe him with words then the younger would have to physically prove in a fight that this nameless energy was just as powerful and useful as Ki and thus the beginning of the rivalry between the two brothers. One determined that Ki was THE stronger energy source while the other was determined that what is now known as Chakra energy to be just AS strong.

With this rivalry exposed teachings of each art of martial arts and techniques were produced and branched into different directions. The ones with Ki focused on close combat with fists and at times weapons. They could use the energy to enhance their speed and strength but most of all they could focus the Ki to different parts of their bodies and outside and launch beams of spirit energy at their opponents and fly like the swiftest of birds. These people became known as the Ki Fighters. Chakra branched into warriors that called themselves Shinobi or ninjas. They used their chakra to create other useful ways to fight and live. Chakra branched in ways from storing personal belongings into scrolls to unleashing a waterfall the size of the Shinra Tower in Midgar. Their speed enhanced to the point where people believed them to be invisible and their strength allowed them to break bones with a single flick of finger. Their attacks and skills were grouped into three main branches thus being Ninjutsu which allowed one to use the elements around them with their chakra and other various jutsu a sub-branch of Fuuinjutsu went with Ninjutsu which was of seals that allowed shinobi to do anything from sealing mighty beasts into pots to storing groceries in scrolls. Genjutsu brought illusions of the mind to reality, and Taijutsu was of hand to hand combat with a sub-branch of Kenjutsu that allowed the use of weapons with their preferred Taijutsu style. With these skills both sides fought to prove their power was the better or was just as worthy. Thus the legend of the two brothers became known and passed down. The Battle of the Spirit and Element Brothers," Salira explained.

"Hmm, so how do I fit in with this legend?" Cloud asked still being able to connect the dots on what this legend has to do with Cloud.

"A war ravaged and destroyed my home and precious people, Cloud. I've lost count but it's been so many years and so long since I've seen an **ounce** of my people's culture. Cloud-you have the power to fight! The power and _ability _to fight in the ways of a Shinobi-but only if you choose to," Salira explained with barely concealed hope.

"Wait! I don't get it-are you saying that I can go into the SHINOBI program and learn to be a shinobi? But what about the SOLDIER program? I worked hard to getting where I am today because of my dream to become a SOLDIER, I can't just abandon that! I can't abandon all the blood, sweat and tears I went through to realize my dream of becoming a SOLDIER I just can't, Captain-sama," Cloud said in dismay.

"I'm not asking you to give up on your dream to be in SOLDIER Cloud far from it in fact. I am only asking you to give the SHINOBI program a try as well as SOLDIER. I've talked with both the President and Director Lazard and they both have agreed and granted that you may pursue both if you so wish. Well under one certain circumstance," Salira explained meekly.

"What kind of circumstance?" Cloud asked suspiciously narrowing his eyelids and crossing his arms. What Salira said next shocked Cloud to the core to the point where everything stopped.

"You. Have. To. Undergo. A. Mako. Treatment."

* * *

M.K.-"And that's the end of the Chapter."

Zack-"**_What!_** A Mako Treatment? Are you purposefully going out of your way just to torture poor Spiky or something? You're mad!"

Sephiroth-"I wonder the same thing. You seem to like torturing people a lot especially with evil hangcliffers!"

M.K.-"WHAT? NO! I would never hurt poor Cloudy on purpose! He's too cute to do something like that! *Glomps Cloud with a smile =)*

Cloud-0.0!.!"Just review peoples it'll only get uglier if you keep reading this."


	5. “The Way of the Shinobi: MAKO

M.K.-(Slowly trudges in with dark circles under her eyes and collapses on the couch with a jaw breaking yawn)

Zack-(Leans over the back of the couch looking at M.K.) "Whoa what on Gaia happened to you, M.K.?"

M.K.-"College is what happened to me Zack. (Another jaw breaking yawn) I've been staying up until about 3 in the morning studying for classes and the upcoming mid-terms and getting up at like 7:30 in the morning the next day. Let's just say the effects of my grinding are now just starting to catch up to me. Anyway, would anyone please do the disclaimer? I'm just going to take a quick cat nap."

Cloud-"Uh, M.K. does not own Final Fantasy VII if she did she would be a multibillionaire."

* * *

**Chapter 5: "The Way of the Shinobi: M.A.K.O."**

**_Review:_**

**_"What certain circumstance?" Cloud asked suspiciously as he narrowed his eyelids and crossed his arms. What Salira said shocked Cloud to the core to the point where everything stopped._**

**_"You. Have. To. Undergo. A. Mako. Treatment."_**

**_:End Review_**

A mixture of feelings swelled and bubbled in Cloud's chest. Hesitation and nervousness for one at the possibility of having to undergo a mako injection while at the same time excitement and desire bloomed at the prospect of learning art of combat that from the sounds of things wasn't very well known and could be used to his advantage in order to get admitted into the ranks of SOLDIER.

A pause.

"If I were to agree to this deal what would the details of this training be?" Cloud asked curious letting Salira know that he wasn't altogether rejecting the prospect of training to be in the SHINOBI program but he was still hesitant at the idea of being subjecting to mako treatments for it.

"Well, I would train you to have better control over your chakra. When you come out of my training in three to four months prior to the entrance exams for SOLDIER at mid-winter, you will be well versed in what Ninjutsu, Genjutsu, and Taijutsu. Fuuinjutsu and Kenjutsu as well if you so wish to learn those arts as well. It will be a lot to cover for someone your age but I think you can pull it off with the training technique I have in mind. Your stealth, strength, agility, flexibility and reaction time would improve drastically compared to where it is at now. I also won't object if you wish to use these skills to help you gain admittance into SOLDIER if you so wish to do so," Salira explained in eagerness.

Cloud was still hesitant as the biting on his lower lip gave this emotion away like a flaring beacon.

_"But the Mako treatments are still a big issue for me. I've heard so many stories of failed SOLDIER trainees being turned away either from having a bad reaction to mako in some way or form. Some ended up dead, some went insane as they mutated and degraded into monsters with no sense of reality and ended up killing those around them. Would I end up like them? A monster or dead to the world? Would this be the end to my dream of becoming a SOLDIER?"_ Cloud asked himself mentally.

"If….if I was to get these mako injections…w-would or how would they react to my chakra? I've never exactly heard a case of someone having chakra and still get mako injections aside from you Captain-sama," Cloud inquired nervously.

Salira shrugged.

"Nothing has ever happened to me, so I shouldn't think so, it will be a painful journey for someone who has not yet been exposed to mako but after your first time you learn what to expect and prepare for it. You shouldn't have anything to worry about I should think," Salira answered as best as she could in the hopes that she was assuring the blonde that mako was to some degree okay when the scientist know what they are doing. Its only idiots that have no knowledge whatsoever of mako that decided to get their hands on the stuff and think they are invincible.

Cloud then smiled.

"Alright, then I'll do it," Cloud said with a nod. Salira beamed at Cloud underneath her mask.

"Excellent!"

_Three days later….._

_"What on Gaia did I get myself into?"_ Both Salira and Cloud couldn't help but think as they sat together in the waiting room that adjoined the lab where Cloud was to get his first mako injection.

It was the day Cloud had just gotten released and unfortunately the President, regardless of one of his soon to be SOLDIERS having just gotten released from medical care had decided this be the day Cloud would get to be subjected to Hojo's sick hands that would give him his first dosage of mako to the blonde's horror.

Salira, needless to say, was beyond infuriated at the President for these orders but no matter how much she tried to persuade the founder of SHINRA electric company to a later date the President refused and demanded that Cloud received his Mako injection the minute the Head Nurse deemed him to be healthy enough to return to active duty.

But despite Cloud having to be stuck in bed all day, that didn't excuse the blonde from having to train his mind as Salira later reminded him the next day by dumping a sack full of scrolls and an armful of textbooks and essay assignments. As the scrolls were meant to be read and memorized by the end of the week which he will then have to recite to Salira word for word on what chakra was, what a chakra network was and were it resided within the body and the theoretical basis of how to cast and dispel a Genjutsu. The stack of textbooks and essay questions were also due by Monday of next week and it was only Thursday when Salira dumped the workload in the blonde's lap. Not only were the assignments impossibly monstrous to plow through but distractions in the form of Zack Fair and Stalint Minks prevented Cloud from making much of a head way to catch up with the three days worth of classes he missed out on. Stalint was ok as he only came in at lunch times and after classes to talk with Cloud and that was fine for the blonde. Zack on the other hand was in the medical wing ALL of the time chatting with Cloud as if they were old friends from a past life. Cloud would be sitting there gritting his teeth as he tried to filter out Zack's voice as he read through the scrolls and textbooks.

Salira even had enough of Zack's presence with Cloud to the point that on the day before Cloud was to be released, the raven kunoichi marched in, grabbed Zack by the ear and proceeded to drag to the protesting and complaining ebony-haired SOLDIER out the door of the wing and forbade Zack from coming back into see Cloud anymore during the blonde's stay in the Hospital wing. Cloud has work he needs to get done and Zack, with his interrupting presence, wasn't helping. Don't get Cloud wrong, he would love nothing more than to get to know Zack better and to better understand why Zack felt the need to stay by Cloud's side all of the time but Zack needed to know that Cloud also has work to accomplish if he wanted to join porcupine headed man in the ranks of SOLDIER.

Now Cloud is released and sitting in the waiting room of the lab with Salira supporting him by sitting with him at his side. Cloud gulped nervously as each tick-tock from the clock on the wall counted down the agonizing minutes to the inevitable journey of mako. The tick-tock's sound was so loud as it pounded in time with Cloud's heartbeats that it made Cloud wonder how anyone in the room looked as though they couldn't hear a thing as they went about doing menial tasks filling out a patient's medical information or informing a patient over the phone what the results of their mako injections were while Cloud himself was beginning to think if he should ask for anyone if they had a bottle of aspirin on them so he could smother the growing head ache that had decided to take root in Cloud's temple.

"Relax Cloud," Salira said placing a hand on top of Cloud's to prevent Cloud from, he just realized at the moment, mutilating the tissue in his grasp any further as he had been twisting it in knots until the paper shredded into his lap and on the floor. Cloud shrugged his shoulders sheepishly.

"Sorry, I guess I'm just nervous," Cloud muttered.

"As it is natural to be, Cloud. Nevertheless it will be okay as I will be here the entire time during your mako injection and your operation should be done by the time classes end so Zack and Minks-san should be with us by then to wait for you as well," Salira tried her best to reassure the boy that not everything about Mako injections was as monstrous as Cloud's mind was warping it to be. Sure there are some cases of mako poisoning reported but Cloud was only getting a teaspoon of mako compared to what the amount was considered to be as a case of mako poisoning so Cloud should have nothing to worry about.

"Cloud Strife? You're next," a lab assistant read off her clipboard before looking around the room for the blonde. Clouds soon to be glowing eyes snapped to the lab assistant like a deer caught in headlights at her announcement and to snap him out of his sudden fear Salira had to grab the boy's hand and pull Cloud to his feet before leading him over to the lab assistant.

"You'll do fine, Cloud. You're just getting a poke in the arm it's not like you're getting a shot in the ass or something. Now hurry along the sooner you get your mako injection the sooner we can get out of this place," Salira ensured the blonde giving Cloud over to the woman.

"You mean you're not coming with me?" Cloud wanted to kick himself repeatedly until his ass was so sore he couldn't sit down for a week. He did not mean to sound so needy and weak but he still wanted a familiar face in there with him so he had something other than Hojo's slimy, greasy hide to look at while he was being subjected to the mad scientist's beyond violating thoughts and schemes. Salira shook her head sympathetically.

"Sorry Cloud, I wish I could but only scheduled patients are allowed into the lab-I'll have to wait here but I promise you that I will not set foot outside of this room unless I have to relieve myself in the ladies' room," Salira promised the chocobo headed boy with a reassuring grip on Cloud's shoulder.

Cloud could only square his shoulders in defeat and march down the sterile halls behind the nurse as Salira watched him go with a worried glance at the boy's back.

_"I swear Hojo, if I find that you have done anything to the boy beyond a simple mako injection you will find a rusty kunai up both your ass and dick!"_ Salira mentally threatened the scientific pedophile as she sat down and pulled out a magazine to read the time away.

Cloud, shirtless, shivered from the cold metal of the bare table Cloud was strapped down to prevent him from harming anyone or himself when in pain from the mako as it was adjusted to his body's system. He refrained from wincing as the electronic door made a whizzing noise as it opened to allow crisp heeled boots shuffled into the lab. The top of the boots were covered by the usual white, lab coat that everyone hated but not so much as when they hated that hideous and sickening laughter like a greedy weasel plotting to twist your mind in ways that you just know you won't escape either unchanged, unscathed or both. Hojo. Everyone even the President himself hated this thing that wasn't even worthy to be called a man.

"Well now, Strife-san are we ready to begin then?" Hojo oozed in his oily voice between the ever-so present and annoying laughter that made Cloud want to rip the monster's throat out if it would put a stop to the man's amusement if there was a way to prevent Cloud from being arrested, put to death and or dropped from the SOLDIER training program.

Whether Cloud said anything or not to let the mad scientist know that he was indeed ready or not the (A/N: Shudders "I want to wash my mouth out with soap now for saying this) man didn't seem to be bothered to care as the Scientist in question moved closer to Cloud's side; so close that the cotton fabric of the man's lab coat brushed against Cloud's protesting skin as the weasel picked up a syringe and vial that contained a glowing green liquid with the label written in clear scientific handwriting **M.A.K.O.** After loading what looked like 33 milligrams of the key ingredient to breed perfect SOLDIERS for war and combat, Hojo, with no forewarning whatsoever given to Cloud, plucked the needle straight into a visible vein at the inside of Cloud's left elbow ignoring Cloud's grunt and hiss of pain and displeasure.

If Hojo said anything to Cloud after the injection, the blonde gave no indication that he heard the weasel's words as the boy was, apparently, too busy trying to take back control of his body that was suddenly flushed hot pink that jerked, writhed in muscle-tearing, spinal-cord breaking seizures making Cloud arch on his back to ease the pain looking as though he were in an electrical chair being tortured for his allies' deepest weaknesses and secrets with 10,000 watts coursing in screeching agony throughout his body. To Cloud it felt like his very veins were taken and stuck in dry ice for half a year and yet his brain, oh his brain was on **_FIRE! _**The kind of fire only found in the lowest depths of hell to which Satan himself resided in as he watched the sinned writhe and shrieked in agony of eternal damnation from which there is no escape. Every object in the room and swayed and contorted while at the same time flared the reflected illumination of the artificial lights overhead to the degree where Cloud swore that he was looking into a thousand suns prime in their plight of illuminating growth until the end of its existence and the light made his eyes _burn_! Oh how they burned and boiled and Cloud could do nothing but close his eyes and prayed with all his being to Gaia that he'd just make out of this torture alive while with of sound mind. Biting down on his lip so hard to keep himself from screaming in front of the observing and twisted weasel that the tang of his own blood overflowed his mouth choking him and forcing Cloud to cough it out of his mouth where it splattered down his chin, neck, chest and on the weasel's lab coat to the thing's displeasure and disgust.

**_"AAAHHH! MAKE IT STOP! MAKE IT STOP! PLEASE PLEASE PLEEAASSEE JUST MAKE IT STOP! I'LL DO ANYTHING YOU WANT ME TO JUST MAKE THIS PAIN GO THE FUCK AWAY!"_** Cloud screamed so loud in his head that it gave him a headache the size of mars. His face and body by now was glistening so much from sweat that he looked like he was in a bubble of some sort as the sweat pooled around, on top and underneath the blonde's body. Finally the pain had grown to a degree too unbearable for Cloud as it exploded like a grenade in Cloud's head and then all sense of reality was ripped from Cloud as he fell into the caged bars of darkness.

* * *

M.K.- "Ugh, I can't believe I called that weasel a man! I'm going to go wash my mouth out with soap would someone please do the request for reviews?" (Runs off into the kitchen to look for the soap)

Zack-"Poor girl and poor Cloud too!"

Sephiroth-(Sigh) "I better go help M.K. you get to do the request Zack."

Zack-"No way it's your turn to do the request anyway!" (Runs off to help M.K. before Sephiroth could say anything to protest)

Sephiroth-"WHAT! ZACK FAIR GET YOUR ASS BACK HERE THIS MINUTE! (Sigh) Please read and review now excuse me while I go kill someone." (Grabs masamune and advances toward the cowering Zack behind the form of M.K. that was bent over the sink washing her mouth out with soap)

Zack-"Hey no fighting near the invalid!"


	6. The Way of the Shinobi: Rachel Storm

M.K.-"Hello everyone here's Chapter 6."

Zack-"M.K. Does not own Final Fantasy VII or Naruto if she did she would be a multibillionaire."

* * *

**~Chapter 6: "The Way of the Shinobi: Rachel Storm"**

"So this is my taijutsu instructor?" Cloud asked the Captain as he surveyed the woman before him with critical eyes.

It took a weeks' worth of bed rest for Cloud to heal back to his full strength which, now combined with mako enhancements and a chakra awakening forced a lot of effort out of Cloud as he tried to keep his newfound power from bringing the building down on top of everyone and with each bump in the road towards this goal brought Cloud's annoyance closer to surface. As Cloud became adjusted he had to concentrate with great care when he just had to set down his cup so it would shatter or make a hole in the table like it had done the previous morning when Cloud tried to eat his breakfast. Luckily the canteen was so full and noisy at the time that no one had noticed but it wasn't just the cups that Cloud had to worry about it was a variety of other small and big things Cloud had to reign in his strength in so he wouldn't get yelled at by the Head Nurse for sending in so many injured personnel. Making the bed ended up in ripped sheets like some animal had gotten offended by the whiteness of his aid of warmth during his nightly sleeps. The bar itself when Cloud worked out in the gym doing bench presses and squats by the end of the whole hour workout with deep grooves of where his fingers were and Cloud had to previously apologize to the coach instructor of his strength destroying precious gym equipment and continuously explain why all of a sudden the bench presses didn't seem as if he were a smoker trying to scale the mountains of Nibelheim in nothing but shorts and sweatshirt. When Cloud finally became adjusted to how much strength he should use doing daily tasks it was then he had to focus on the bigger ones such as not punching Zack through a concrete wall when they were walking to the canteen and Cloud just wanted to slap the 1st on the back as a greeting or leaving the training grounds in tact when he fought against the dummies in his combat courses. When Cloud finally learned how to deal with the different outputs of strength to deal with these problems it was then Salira decided he was ready to be trained in the body to use Cloud's awakened strength to its full advantage for combat. So here Cloud was meeting up with another strange female that Salira claimed to be his instructor for martial arts.

Rachel Storm; the name sounded pretty but, if a bit, on the average side also. Despite her namesake, Cloud had to admit that this female was one of those cases where the saying "Don't judge a book by its cover" couldn't be any louder of a warning than that of a tornado siren being wailed right next to your house. Creamy white skin that had seen little sun, Rachel had chestnut-brown hair that hung in a twist down to the gentle curves of her hips with short, thin wisps of bangs springing and curling out around her face with a single thick lock of curls sloping down her left jaw-line and neck to end at the collar bone. The most notable feature about this woman was her eyes. Her eyes screamed loneliness and wisdom in those crystal blue eyes that shown an eerie pale, ghost-white when the sun hit her eyes at just the right angle and apparently had also been introduced to mako from the present green glow surrounding the pupil like a green ring of fire. They gave Cloud the impression of the calm before a coming storm. Like Salira, Rachel's clothes were also just as strange to Cloud, she chose to wear black hakama pants that cut off at knee cap that had a sash of silver with gray outlines of clouds over it to keep them from falling down. A white haori with no sleeves clung to taijutsu specialists' curves showing off the six-pack in an outline underneath. On the back of the haori was of very detailed westernized version very light almost silver black dragon breathing crimson red fire that shaped into the form of a fiery phoenix in mid-flight. Rachel also chose to wear black bandages on her limbs from the arch of the foot to just below the pant leg of her hakama on her calves and from the knuckles of her hands to the nook of her elbow on Rachel's forearms. What looked like a ordinary black bandana tied snugly around Rachel's right bicep. Even weirder, on top of the bandages on her forearms were what looked like an archers' braces only sheets of dark silver almost gray metal like scales covered the back of her hand the backs of her fingers up to her finger tips. The braces didn't seem to stop at the wrist though as it look liked it stretched to her elbow as the sheets of metal lengthened and widened into spikes getting bigger as they travel along the ulna (outer bone of the forearm) up to the elbow joint the last spike reaching up to the females shoulder. Rachel also chose to forgo wearing shoes it appeared and cloth similar to the sash over the female's waist wrapped around the Rachel's forehead like poor attempt at creating a hitae-ate only the same dragon and phoenix from Rachel's haori was imprinted on the cloth with the tails of the cloth dangling down to the female's shoulders. About the only jewelry appeared to be a silver ear cuff on the martial artist's right ear that dangled down into a fang and chain dangled around Rachel's slender neck supporting three dog tags. Every inch of Rachel's body screamed of honed skill and strength, its muscles about as prominent as Zack's but more feminine and slender almost as if to belie its true strength. The way Rachel held herself with her arms bent behind her head, her shoulders slack and relaxed with those mako infused eyes glancing at him from the corner of her eyes screamed of years of hand to hand combat to Cloud's senses.

"Yes, Cloud this is Rachel Storm my best friend who will teach you in the arts of hand-to-hand combat," Salira confirmed to the blonde.

"Aw Sal, I had no idea that you felt that way about me!" Rachel joked with a smirk.

"Oh, shut up," Salira replied punching the brunette in the bicep where there wasn't any spikes to harm herself on.

"Ok, well then let's get started," Rachel said trying to get the ball rolling as she clapped her hands together.

"Well then I'll leave you two guys to get to know each other and whatnot," Salira announced and without another word turned on her heel and disappeared from the holographic training room the three had met up in. Rachel chuckled.

"That's Salira for you; always the one to start things but chooses to disappear before said things ever get close to being started instead of helping the aforementioned thing come to completion and then disappear."

"So how shall we do proceed then?" Cloud implored of his taijutsu instructor.

"Well for today we will just contend with a light spar so I can gain further knowledge of your level of taijutsu and the areas I need to work on to strengthen your level. After that I will delve into the different styles of taijutsu and teach you those once you have a solid grasp on how to throw a correct punch that any academy genin would be able to perform," Rachel informed her pupil and Cloud nodded to show her he understood.

"Ok, so before things begin let me jump up to the control room for a moment and set up the holographic generators so that we have a more pleasant and less confining room to spar in," Rachel uttered to the cadet before walking off to the side of the room and disappearing up the stairs located there. Cloud only had to wait at the most five minutes before Rachel reappeared but had somewhere along the way taken off the spikes on her arms to which she placed against the wall near the stairs so she wouldn't harm the boy.

"Ready?"

Cloud nodded after he placed his zanbantou against the wall near Rachel's spikes.

"Then program activate!"

A cyber, female sounding voice then started speaking as the room's holographic generators whirred to life making the edges of the room go fuzzy fading in and out like the room was one giant camera and a person had decided to mess with the zooming lenses.

"Commencing program activation, program activation will be completed in 3….2….1-mark!"

All of a sudden the metallic walls and floor was ripped away only to be replaced with a completely different setting. Hard, gritty sand and rock crunched under Cloud's booted feet and the air became dry and arid as the now present Sun casted its fiery rays upon the desert Cloud and Rachel were situated in.

"As a forewarning, every time we meet up in here to train I'll be setting the holographics to different scenes that extreme conditions. From the coldest of blizzards on top of the tallest mountains to wettest lands you can imagine undergoing a monsoon. This is so you'll have the advantage of being able to go to any part of the globe and still be able to fight as if these conditions don't bother you, which it shouldn't. As you progress to the level of being sent on missions you'll be in unexpected conditions and you should be trained to be able to adapt to these conditions so you can still have the ability to fight, whether it be in sleet, snow, hail, rain, tornado-whatever. Having this ability gives you the key advantage over other cadets to be able to fight in these areas where most cadets cannot. Now let's begin," Rachel instructed.

With that the spar commenced which contained many moments in where Cloud found himself on the flat of his backside or on his ass to his embarrassment. Every time Cloud tried to land a punch somewhere on the female's body Rachel's arms and legs were there to block and or parry the blow to a direction away from his body. There was even a time where Cloud flat out charged a punch at the taijutsu specialist and without a blink of an eye, Rachel's left hand was locked onto the boy's wrist while her right was under Cloud's bicep and before the cadet knew it he was flying through the air over Rachel's head only to have his backside get slammed into the ground at the brunette's feet.

"Alright that's enough for today," Rachel declared after what felt like an hour of nothing but rolling around in the dirt for Cloud who was bent over with his hands on his knees for support as he panted like he just ran around Gaia in under two whole minutes.

"As much as I hate to admit it, I'll have to start from scratch as it seems the SOLDIER program teaches cadets nothing whatsoever about hand to hand combat," Rachel summed up with a hand on her chin.

"Program deactivate."

Like shards of glass, the image of the desert broke into pieces and fell away to the ground to disappear into nothingness.

"Let's go to my office so we can draw up a schedule for you meet me," the brunette suggested as she grabbed her spikes and despite the weight of the sword, Cloud's zanbantou before walking up to the blonde to hand him his weapon of choice.

"Yeesh, I didn't mean to knock you around so much. Here lean on me until you feel like your energy has returned enough for you to walk on your own," Rachel grimaced sheepishly before grabbing the arm that wasn't holding the giant head cleaver and slung the appendage over her shoulders not leaving any room for the blonde to protest forcing him to lean on her as they trudged out of the room.

"Rachel-sama, may I ask you a question?"

During the spar with the brunette something about Rachel felt off and it had been bugging Cloud enough that he felt this be a good time to ask about it.

"First of all, please don't call me Rachel-sama it feels uncomfortable for me to hear that so just call me Rachel or Rach whatever you prefer and yes you can ask me your question," Rachel responded as they turned down the hall and made their journey to the elevator at the end of the hall.

"Oh sorry, but during the spar the energy I felt you use to fight me felt different than that of Chakra and I know what chakra feels like now because Salira-sama has been training me to detect chakra signatures with mine so I was wanting to know what that energy is that you use," Cloud asked a bit confused as he blinked up at the girl.

"Oh that? Well, hmm, has Sal told you about the legend yet-the one with the two brothers?" Rachel replied with a question of her own.

"The one with the Ki and Chakra brothers? Yes, Captain-sama has told me it," Cloud answered confused as to how the legend had anything to do with Rachel's mysterious energy as they stopped before the elevator and Rachel pushed the button to go up.

"Well then if that's the case then I am what Salira described to you as a Ki fighter as the energy that I use to fight with is spirit energy or Ki," Rachel disclosed with the blonde. Cloud gasped in shock.

"You mean you use spirit energy to fight? But, then wouldn't that make you and Salira enemies?"

Rachel burst out laughing.

"Oh enemies that's a good one. But no we are not enemies, Cloud. Just because we both use the very energies that rival with each other does not make us immediately enemies with each other as a person. That's like saying all dogs will bite you upon seeing you when you've only been bitten by just one dog," the brunette explained.

"Oh," was all Cloud could say not able to think of anything else to keep the conversation going which was a disappointment with Cloud as he liked talking with the female. Rachel was nice and her personality was an awful lot like Zack's. Before anything else could occur between the two the elevator doors chose to open up with a 'ding' noise.

"Spike! I've been looking everywhere for you, man!"

Speak of the devil.

"Oh, hi Zack," Cloud greeted the 1st calmly as if this was an everyday occurrence.

"Is that all I get? 'Oh, hi Zack' like I'm just your average person you see walking down the hallway every day," Zack exclaimed in a pretend hurtful manner.

"I'm sure you'll live," Cloud deadpanned to the 1st to Rachel's amusement who had to turn her head away to hide her grin. It was then Zack noticed Rachel and how Cloud's arm was slung around the female's neck and shoulder like Cloud was drunk.

"Oh, who's this? Don't tell me you're getting popular with the ladies now, you sly dog you!" Zack teased Cloud with a smirk as he elbowed the blonde in the ribs. Cloud only had to whack the 1st upside the head with the blunt side of his zanbantou to get the raven to stop.

"Idiot! She's my taijutsu instructor, moron! This is Rachel Storm whom I'd just met today. Rachel this idiot is Zack Fair 1st class SOLDIER and General Sephiroth's second-in-command. Zack, Rachel is Salira's best friend supposedly but I am not aware of what position she holds as far as a commanding officer is concerned," Cloud explained and introduced the two to each other.

"Actually, she's my second-in-command," a voice interrupted the conversation between the three making Cloud and Zack jump in surprise. Rachel on the other hand seemed to be expecting this as she beamed at the person.

"Sally-darling how nice to see you! I was wondering when you would make your appearance ms.-I-stick-to-the-shadows," Rachel piped up at the raven making said female quirk an eyebrow at her best friend.

"This coming from someone who rushes into her battles head first with nothing but her bare fists as a backup plan?" Salira drawled rolling her eyes to which only Rachel shrugged.

"Eh, blame it on the fight instinct in my blood if you want."

"Aye, you'll be the death of me someday Rach, by the way is there a reason as to why Cloud has his arm around your neck?" Salira retorted.

"Hey, I didn't push him that hard! I only did a light spar with him to know his level of skill in taijutsu," Rachel defended herself.

"Which took place in a desert I might add," Cloud mumbled out of the corner of his mouth.

"Rachel!"

"What! So what if it was in the desert! Cloud's a big boy he can take care of himself I would think considering he's trying to be in both SOLDIER and SHINOBI," Rachel pointed out. Cloud didn't know if his blush was from the sudden praise or the fact that Rachel already seems confident enough in the blonde's skill to stick up for cadet.

"I know that, but that doesn't mean you have jump right ahead to train the boy off in one of the toughest areas to begin with, he's still adjusting to all of this!" Salira reprimanded the brunette.

It was Rachel's turn to quirk an eyebrow.

"Really? I thought he was already adjusted to the fact that Cloud will have to push himself a little bit in this place considering the fact that he wants to be in SOLDIER after all and adding to the fact he's in the SHINOBI training program as well as how you came in dragged me out of my current duties and forced me into the training room to help start training the cadet in hand-to-hand combat only to disappear right back out the door before the spar could even begin! Or was I mistaken into the wrong impression that Cloud was, has and will always be adjusted and prepared for whatever life throws at him. Or do you doubt Cloud's capabilities that much?" Rachel growled at the reprimand lowering her eyelids to glare at her superior officer.

_"I like her already!"_ Zack couldn't help but think as he surveyed the taijutsu specialist before him. Zack to his personal surprise found the female to be cute and beautiful. He liked the shape of her body that filled out in the right places but had that rough and yet feminine strength to compliment her features. Her eyes, Zack felt like he was soaring amongst the clouds without a care in the world. The sudden urge to hold the brunette in his arms and sniff her hair and claim her as his own made Zack shake his head roughly snapping him out of his train of thought.

"I am not saying that I doubt Cloud's capabilities!" Salira was saying hotly.

"Um. Captain-sama to be honest-I'm fine, really! Look I think I can even stand on my own now," Cloud tried to help Rachel out of the line of fire.

"You sure?" Rachel gave the blonde a look to which she received a confirming nod from the boy. The Rachel only had to let go of Cloud's arm and the cadet was able to straighten himself up leaving Salira to sigh at the stubbornness of the two.

"By the way, was there something you needed Zack? You said you were looking for Cloud after all," Rachel returned the spotlight back onto the raven SOLDIER.

"Oh no, I was looking for him only so we could hang out," Zack replied sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck as he grinned.

_"He's cute when he does that. No wait bad thoughts Rach! You can't get romantically involved with someone now!"_ Rachel mentally scolded herself all the while keeping her inner thoughts hidden from view by just simply grinning.

"Oh, well I just have to help Cloud draw up his schedule for the times he'll meet with me for lessons and then after that you can have him. Is that ok?"

Zack just hunched his shoulders in a shrug.

"I don't have a problem with that."

"I did come here to relay a message to you though, Rach," Salira cut in since they were on the subject.

"Oh and what am I being subjected to this time oh captain my captain?" Rachel drawled leaning on the shoulder of the kunoichi.

"My katana if you don't remove your person from my personal space within the next 10 seconds," Salira snapped glaring at the offending body that was invading her breathing space.

"Aw, but then I won't be able to annoy the heck out of you like I usually do," Rachel said with a pout before suddenly putting the raven in a headlock to give the kunoichi a noogie with her knuckles.

"Get off me you dork!" the kunoichi's gruff cries were muffled through the fabric of Rachel's haori.

"For the next hour or so that little invisible bubble of yours you so nicely decorated shall be poked, prodded and abused till I deem my job to royally piss you off has been fulfilled for the day," Rachel sneered still rapping her knuckles on the ravens head.

"Oh go stick your head in a toilet!" Salira growled before shoving the brunette away from her person while Zack and Cloud unceremoniously laughed themselves into stitches.

"And for your information the chief stable-hand requests your presence down at the stables, something about looking at an ill chocobo," Salira informed the person she considered her best friend rather hotly.

"Well then let's scurry on up to my office and then we can go look at this chocobo," Rachel said snagging the kunoichi by the arm to drag the poor, abused kunoichi into the elevator with a still laughing Cloud and Zack in toe.

"Ugh, for the last time-get off me you overgrown hairball!" Salira screeched once again having to shove the brunette female off her.

"Hairball? Speak for yourself, you could give Cousin It a run for his money when that bush you call your hair is let down and _that's_ saying something!" it was Rachel's turn to retort.

Zack roared with laughter clutching his sides while Cloud tried and failed to hide his behind his hand as the hand was then used to clutch Zack's shoulder for support so he didn't fall over.

"Why I put up with you is the mystery of the world yet to be solved," Salira sighed.

"Ah, but who else would get you to smile at least once a day? You know you love me admit it!" Rachel taunted with a knowing smirk as they waited for the elevator to reach the martial artist's floor.

"Yes Rachel and the love is a world full of rainbows, glitter and all of those little hearts that just scream 'I LOVE RACHEL MY BEST FRIEND!'" the sarcasm in Salira's voice was so thick it put tar to shame.

"Why Sally-darling, I had no idea you had such a novelty like imagination! You know you could write a children's novel with that talent instead of gutting monsters for Shinra Inc. for a living," Rachel deadpanned.

Salira only yawned and with a blank but bored look droned, "Yay for me!"

"You would think you two were sisters what with the way you two bicker like that!" Zack quipped with an amused grin.

"Which, I'm glad we are not cause then I would be related to Cousin It and THAT would be a nightmare in itself," Rachel commented only to yelp afterwards when Salira socked the brunette on the arm were there wasn't any spikes to inflict any wounds.

"Smartass!"

"Once again, you love me."

"Really? Then why do I have this sudden urge to throttle you with my bare hands?"

"Hence the words 'Tough Love' Sal."

By now the elevator had arrived on the designated floor and the four had were now navigating their way through the maze of doors and hallways until they stopped at a mahogany door at the end of one hallway with the name Rachel Storm-Second in Command of Salira Drysilia and Chieftain of Domestic Commute and Monster Tamers.

"Chieftain of Domestic Commute and Monster Tamers? What does that mean?" Zack blurted in confusion.

"It means that I help take care of all of the chocobos and horses or a person's familiar. I doubt you guys know but Shinra Inc. has stables that house chocobos and horses on the grounds and all over the world. It is my job to help care for these animals. There will be times where I only have to go down to the stables at here and then there are times when I have to run all the way out to the Chocobo Ranch on a distress call. Or if there's a new strand of monsters yet to be identified I have to run out, snag the little devil and examine it to turn into Shinra so they know of another monster species to beware of when they send out SOLDIERS and cadets to the different areas of the globe. That's why I want to stress to Cloud that he should always check in with the email services for the SOLDIER training program to see if I leave a message for him saying that the current lesson for a such a day is cancelled because I will be on a distress call out in the middle of Gaia-knows-where," Rachel explained before opening the door.

"Well come on in and make yourselves at home."

Compared to General Sephiroth's, Rachel's office wasn't all that bad. A window took up the whole wall behind the dark cherry wooden desk which faced the door wish a leather tuscan red chair behind it with two more situated in front of the desk. The desk held nothing but a couple of picture frames and a computer. A nice tuscan red leather sofa was shoved against the right wall that was currently being occupied by a snoring black lab. Two dark cherry bookshelves stuffed full with books and notes and picture frames along the edges took up the left wall with a dark cherry colored filing cabinet to which supported simple lamp, water fountain and another picture frame. In fact the room seemed to be filled with pictures of the captured memories Rachel had experienced all of which were either hanging on the walls or placed on some hard surface. The only thing on the wall that was NOT a picture was what appeared to be a mixed media drawing of charcoal and chalk pastels situated in the middle of the wall to the right of the door featuring a grand snowy mountain with the golden and fiery crimson rays of the sun's dawn cascading down on the mountain to illuminate simple village that could be glimpsed through a ring of trees that stretched into a forest of green leaves.

Zack found that he liked the drawing and when he looked at the bottom right corner for the name of the artist he drew in a gasp as he recognized the name in its loopy handwriting. Home by Rachel Storm.

"You drew _that_?" Zack stared between the female martial artist and the drawing that in the light of the sun peeking blaring through the window made the drawing look more surreal as it lit the golden rays of the artificial sun in the drawing making it seem as if the drawing was another world that one could step right into.

"Oh that? Yeah, that I'm proud to say I drew with these calloused and battled hardened hands. It's a wonder how I got so detailed with it though," Rachel answered before she was plowed to the floor by the barking black lab.

"Hi Maddie!" Rachel greeted the mutt through laughs her head turned so she wouldn't get dog drool on her lips as Maddie proceeded to give his master a dog's versions of a kiss on the cheek.

"Alright, alright get off ya crazy mutt!" Rachel laughed shoving the fleabag away from her so she could get up and hunt for a napkin or cloth to get the drool off her cheek.

"Nice dog," Zack complimented with a grin.

"_She has a nice laugh."_ Zack caught himself saying this to his mind and had to put extra effort to fight back the blush from his cheeks.

Instead of letting Rachel respond back Maddie chose to do it himself instead by barking at Zack as he bounded over to the raven 1st to lick at the SOLDIER's hands as if to say "Thank you."

Zack seemed to understand because he just laughed as he scratched Maddie on the belly and chest who had no qualms over this kind of attention as he rolled over onto his back to let Zack have further access to his belly.

"Don't spoil him too much or he'll walk all over you," Rachel warned as she finally found a cloth in one of the desk drawers and started patting her cheek with it as she plopped down in her seat.

"Thanks for the warning," Zack said as he sat down on the sofa letting out an "oof" from Maddie's weight and hide that suddenly found its way onto his lap.

Cloud and Salira chose to sit down on the chairs in front of the desk to limit the space Maddie would need should he seek their laps to gain attention from them.

"She warned you," a soft male voice spoke making Cloud jump and Zack would have as well if he didn't have the weight of a black lab in his lap.

"Who said that?" Cloud asked aloud as he looked around the room for the owner of the voice."

"Up here, moron!" the voice snapped making both Cloud and Zack look up at the bookshelves.

"What the-!" Cloud trailed off as he spotted the creature laying on top of the bookshelves.

"Felix! Be nice or I'll sick Maddie on you!" Rachel scolded the creature.

"So the Tamer managed to bring some friends over," the creature spoke as it cocked its head to glance at the brunette.

Sitting on top of Rachel's bookcases was what Cloud could describe the closest to a black cat but then from another glance the blonde couldn't be so sure as to call it that. The cat-like creature was about as big as your average house cat and yet had two great, spiky crimson red horns jutting out from the top of its head to slant down along the neck and curve downward in front of the forelegs and chest. Speaking of the forelegs at where the elbows would be for the creature a crimson red spike jutted out while a mane of crimson red feathers poked out along the back of the creature's neck from the base of the skull to its shoulders and trailed down the right side of its neck like a horse's mane leaving one feather to fall into the right of its garnet red eyes. Crimson red feathered wings were furled along its sleek black fur on its backside and the tail which was as long as its body had a tuft of crimson red feathers poking out at the end. Like an ear cuff only it actually pierced the feline's ear and dangled down in chained links to attach to what looked like a garnet red orb like crystal. Almost like a summon materia and yet not. In fact many more of these garnet red orb crystals were found in various places along the feline's body. One was found on the feline's forehead like someone had nailed it in halfway and same thing on the feline's left shoulder and right hip and a whole orb tucked into the tuft of feathers of the feline's tail.

"Um, Rachel just what exactly is that creature?" Cloud chose his words carefully afraid that if the creature was smart enough to talk that it might find an insult for it from Cloud's words.

"Oh Felix? He's just a harmless Dragtheorix (A/N: "Pronounced: Drag-the-or-ix") don't mind him he's all bark and no bite really," Rachel explained dismissing Felix's retorting hiss.

"Um, what's a Dragtheorix?" Cloud couldn't help but ask.

"A Dragtheorix is a cross-breed from a dragon, phoenix and panther they're rare to find and even rarer to be found in human company as they despise them for unknown reasons but I managed to charm this one into being my companion somehow," Rachel words sounded more like a jest at the feline.

"Yes rare indeed considering when I found you tamer, you were waist deep into trouble and it was I who had to so graciously save your hide before you became monster food," Felix taunted.

"If you mean by saving my hide by which I threw a ki blast at the blue dragons that were about to use your bones for a toothpick then grabbed you and ran for safety then yes, Felix that is rare," Rachel drawled with a grin.

"Blue Dragons? Those are found all the way over by Gaea's Cliff what were you doing over there to piss them off?" Zack asked while subconsciously asking himself what the heck a ki blast was.

"I was tracking them actually. A mysterious strand of DNA was collected from them from a previous battle but we didn't have enough material to run a diagnostic with so they sent me out to collect more as well as check to see if their ecosystem had changed because of this DNA strand," Rachel explained as it this was an everyday thing.

"Well this is all very exciting but I believe you have an ill chocobo to look at, Rach?" Salira decided to intervene when she looked at the time on the computer.

"Ah, yes sorry everyone. Well let's get started then," Rachel said before she started digging through her drawers for a pencil and paper. When the items were retrieved it was then Cloud had to bring up his hand in order to catch something from hitting in the face when Rachel threw it at him suddenly. Cloud blinked owlishly at Rachel in a confused manner when he realized it was just a bean.

"Um, Rachel might I inquire as to why you just threw a bean at me?" Cloud asked of the brunette.

"So you can eat it of course! That tiny little bean you have in your hand is called a Sensu Bean and believe it or not but that thing right there has a special quality to restore a person's strength and energy when digested. I'm sure you'll need it for your day with the hyperactive hedgehog over there," Rachel explained gesturing to Zack at the last part.

"_Hedgehog? That's a new one,"_ Zack not sure whether to feel amused or insulted. Cloud didn't have any objections to show his enjoyment though as he grinned before consuming the bean. Instantly he felt good as new as though he hadn't had a training session with brunette at all. When he confirmed that Cloud was indeed feeling better it was then Rachel proceeded to converse with the cadet over when and where the boy would like to meet with his taijutsu instructor for lessons.

"Well there you are," Rachel said when the task at hand was finished all the while handing the blonde the sheet of paper containing his scheduled times and dates for taijutsu lessons.

"Feel free to stay in this office as long as you like but if you'll now excuse me, I must see about this ill chocobo. It was nice meeting you both Cloud Strife and Zack Fair, have a good day," Rachel bid them both as a parting before leaving the fines of her office. Maddie whined at his master's disappearance and decided to abandon Zack's attentions to follow the brunette with Felix in toe who looked too bored for anything else.

"She was nice," Zack commented aloud to Salira and Cloud staring after the female and Cloud could only nod in agreement.

* * *

M.K.-"So yes, as you probably know from reading the chapter that this fic will not be a Zack/Aerith pairing. Sorry folks but Aerith can't keep him to herself all of the time!"

Cloud-"So basically, you introduced a new character to this story that could very well be a female version of Zack."

Zack-0.0 "No comment."

M.K.-"Not quite, Cloud. Zack and Rachel will hold the same values and opinions but Rachel's personality and skills will differ from that of Zack's. Just wait for the next couple of chapters and you'll see how Rachel fits into this plot."

Sephiroth-"Please read and review."


	7. “The Way of a Ki Fighter: Butoukai no Ar

M.K.- "Hello everyone Chappie 7 is-wait wow! This is really the 7th chapter, man I can't believe I've gotten that far with this story!"

Rachel-(Walks in with Maddie in toe) "Well you better believe it because a lot of tomatoes will be thrown your way if you don't get this chapter going soon."

M.K.-"RACHEL!! Nice to see you too, I'm so glad you are here!" (Glomps the brunette)

Rachel: "GAH, GET OFF ME YA CRAZY LEECH!!!"

Zack-(Walks in and sees Rachel beginning to turn blue from the lack of oxygen and rushes over to aid the girl) "Whoa M.K. let go you're gonna kill your muse before she even reveals her role in your story if you don't let her breath anytime soon!"

M.K.- (Finally releases Rachel who gasps for air in big gulps) "Oh, oops, um sorry Rach, anywho would someone please do the disclaimer? (Meekly rushes off the scene for reasons unknown)

Rachel- (Sweatdrops and then looks at Zack who was currently scratching the back of his head as he glances in the direction M.K. had ran off in) "Thanks Zack, I thought I was going to die!"

Zack- (Shrugs) "Eh, no problem."

Rachel- "M.K. does not own Final Fantasy VII or Naruto otherwise she wouldn't be trying to kill all of her muses with her glomps of doom!"

* * *

~**Chapter 7: "The Way of a Ki Fighter: Butoukai no Arashi"**

Beads of sweat dotted Cloud's brow as he panted bracing himself with his hands on his knees to gain more oxygen in his screaming lungs.

"You've still got ten more sets to go, Strife!" Rachel's voice informed him from the observational control room overhead.

This was to be the fifth time that week that Cloud was to meet up with his taijutsu instructor for his mandatory hand-to-hand combat lessons. Lessons which-just-kept-getting-_**harder!**_ Every lesson that took place Rachel would have Cloud push his body to the limit so he could catch up with the muscle he lacked compared to the rest of the other Cadets that like him wished to gain admittance into being a SOLDIER. More often than not those limits would be met, broken through and be far surpassed than originally intended enough so that Rachel had to daily keep a bag of sensu beans on her person so that Cloud would be able to continue on with the rest of his day. On random days such as today, Rachel would decide to dedicate Cloud to a lesson of entirely conditioning his body so as to keep his joints and muscles in tip top shape. Rachel later on explained that the reason she did this was so that if Cloud ever found himself out in the middle of nowhere with nothing but the clothes on his back and some miscellaneous weapon miles away from the nearest civilization his body wouldn't feel the strain it would normally feel of fighting random monsters days and days on end than if his body didn't have to go through the sudden strain of punching logs and doing sit-ups. It would help build up his stamina which Cloud was secretly thankful for as he knew that was the area his body lacked in the most. Cloud, on the conditioning days, would find himself doing a wide-range of things from swimming laps in one of the many pools of the Shinra training facilities to sprinting as many laps as he could in 10 minutes to doing vertical push-ups on one hand switching to the other when he'd finished the set he was doing. Also, Rachel threw in something into this routine something called dynamic stretches just to tone his body, from things such as power walking, to deep lunges back and forth across the floor of the training room. Sometimes Rachel would take Cloud out onto one of the empty tracks found dotted around the Shinra facilities and have Cloud jog or sprint the straights and walk the curves for at least half the lesson. Of course there would be bleachers by the track so Cloud, on the orders of Rachel, had to run up and down the stairs in between the bleachers.

Then for the rest of the training lesson Rachel had Cloud go through the katas he currently knew of the current taijutsu style Rachel had walked him through on the days that weren't spent conditioning.

_"I won't be your teacher forever, Cloud. You have to motivate you yourself to train your body if you ever want to stay in shape as a shinobi or soldier. These days should be used to adjust your body and mind to that principle,"_ Rachel had told him on the first day of the conditioning when Cloud wondered why Rachel wasn't hovering over him as he went through these katas like she would on the days that didn't consist of conditioning. Instead she would watch from the control room over head and occasionally call out a few pointers or remind him of how many sets he still had yet to accomplish. As Cloud went through his katas on an upright log designed for such purpose he made sure that not a single punch or kick was thrown incorrectly. If he did, oh it would be hell to pay the next day of conditioning because for however many incorrect punches or kicks he threw that day would be the amount of sets he had to repeat the next day of conditioning and the last time of his conditioning day he incorrectly threw five punches and five kicks. So that's what he was making up for now. At the end of each week though he would either have to face Salira or Rachel in a spar like a mini-exam so his skill in taijutsu could be inspected and given in feedback on what he needed to work on more, what was okay for now and what he had down pat. So far, luckily for Cloud, Rachel had yet to cancel a lesson and it has only been two weeks into his training to be a shinobi.

"Do you need to stop? Let me know if you need a break," Rachel questioned almost mockingly to the boy. The mock was enough to spur Cloud back into action and correctly finish his sets of punches and kicks on the poor abused log.

"Rachel-sensei *pant* can I-*pant* ask you-s-something?" Cloud said in between pants as he stretched out his arms and legs in a cool down stretch so his joints wouldn't be so sore that he couldn't even walk the next day. A fiddle with the controls from Rachel was the only sound to be heard from above as she shut down the program before she answered.

"Sure, shoot."

"Well, I know how you've been conditioning me for a specific taijutsu style that I can use for my own and everything and I hear you explaining about the different styles and how each one are affective and what are the weaknesses for each style but if you were a kunoichi what taijutsu style would you say you use? I'm curious about how you fight as I haven't actually seen you fight beyond blocks and parries," Cloud asked curiously silently praying he wouldn't get a coaching for asking such a personal question.

"Well," Cloud could hear the thoughtful look in Rachel's voice as she mulled in her head how she would answer the question. Cloud secretly sighed in relief that he wasn't going to get yelled at. True he had yet to see any real anger or deeply negative emotion on the female's face as any negative emotion he saw from Rachel was just a teasing jest accompanied by a joke of some sort. He had to wonder if Rachel ever got angry or if she was just that controlling over her facial features that she wouldn't show any true deeply negative emotion openly although why Cloud didn't have a clue as Rachel said so for herself that she wasn't a shinobi which are taught to be emotionless for battles against enemies. What role did Rachel have in the life of a shinobi or in Salira's life for that matter? How did she become Salira's best friend that the raven claims so readily? How did Rachel become so wise and experienced in fighting when she looks barely into her twenties? Cloud didn't know and he felt that he shouldn't ask to know as if he asked a single question about Rachel's past that the Rachel Cloud saw right now would crumble away and reveal that the façade she wore was just a shield or veil to cover up the darkness and pain of her life and he wouldn't be able to see the happiness that was the Rachel everyone knew and liked despite however annoying Salira found her best friend to be at times.

"I tend to use a lot of taijutsu styles, as I choose them based on the style of my enemies but the one style I find to be effect in most situations for my fights would have to be the style I created myself called the Butoukai no Arashi or the Dance of Storm so I guess that's my style. The Butoukai no Arashi is centered on the user's strength, agility and speed in the limbs especially in the legs since you are constantly moving around in between your opponents defenses getting hits in that would wear them down long enough for you get a good hit in that rendered them unable to continue to fight. A moving target is a lot harder to take down than one that is stationary Cloud, remember that for whenever you are in a battle for yourself and have no one else to rely on for guidance and help," Rachel answered in such a way that Cloud had to remind himself again that there was more to his taijutsu instructor than meets the eye just like Captain Salira.

"Would it be alright if I could see it in a program?" Cloud asked hesitantly speaking up. Rachel laughed.

"Maybe some other time Cloud, if my memory serves me correctly you did promise Zack and Stalint that you'd hang out with them today for lunch after my lesson right?" Rachel pointed out.

"Well yeah but-" Cloud's reply was cut off by the sound of the door to the training room being thrown open and two voices stepped in.

"See I told you he'd be done," Zack exclaimed to the form of Stalint who trailed after the SOLDIER 1st almost shyly.

"Hey guys," Cloud greeted the two with a grin.

"Hi Cloud," Stalint returned the greeting.

"Hey Cloud, hey Rach," Zack greeted shouting the last bit up to the control room where Rachel's head could be seen.

"Hi Zack, hi Stalint," Rachel greeted back with a wave before turning to back to fiddle with the controls a bit more.

"So what are we waiting for? Grab your sword and let's mosey," Zack said a little impatient.

"Not just yet Zack. I'm trying to get Rachel to show me her taijutsu style," Cloud told the raven first.

"Really? Then let's see it!" Zack quipped his eyes lighting up to see the Tamer fight as he turned to face the barely visible form of Rachel. Cloud shook his head.

"Sorry, Zack. Maybe another time," Rachel said with a wry grin.

"Aw c'mon, Rach pleaaaseee!?" Zack pleaded using his famous puppy dog look®.

"No Zack," was Rachel's curt reply shaking her head in the negative making Zack look shocked that someone actually resisted his puppy dog look®.

_"All the more reason I like her. She's just so damn cute and plus she resisted my infamous look and not even Sephy can resist that look,"_ Zack thought with a wry grin.

"Why not? Are you afraid you're going to get monster guts under your nails?" Cloud jeered trying to get a rise out of the brunette. Well he got a rise out of her alright, just not the right one.

"Cloud I tackle and get monster guts under my nails for a living it's not that it's just what with me being a Ki fighter, hence using ki which is much more potent and dangerous to use than Chakra, would be even more hazardous to use in such an enclosed space with allies in the vicinity. I'd probably end up bringing the whole building down if I'm not careful," Rachel explained as she forwent the stairs and just jumped down to the floor in front the three males her spikes clutched in one hand.

"What _is_ Ki anyway? I hear you and Salira talking about it so much about its abilities and dangerous qualities but I never see you use it outside of your body I mean I know that Chakra isn't visible to the naked eye but that same rule doesn't apply to Ki does it?" Cloud asked in exasperation getting annoyed with the fruitless results that Rachel wouldn't quench his curiosity with. Zack seemed to pick up on the important eagerness of Cloud's questions and decided to jump in to help out his friend and fired a question of his own.

"Yeah, what is ki? I recall the story of you saying how you rescued Felix with a Ki blast but I have no idea what that is can't you just show us that much?" Zack asked trying a different angle and Cloud sent a "Thank You" look his way.

Rachel sighed and looked thoughtful trying to consider the repercussions of this option should anything go awry.

"Fine, but I can only show you if you know of a place that I can use my Ki that's not indoors and there aren't any innocent bystanders that could get hurt in the event. Only then will I show you ki if it will get your questions off of my back," Rachel told them showing them what must have been the first truly serious look that made Cloud know that this was something worthwhile to see.

"Well then come on I know the perfect place!" Zack said excitedly grinning in triumphant before he grabbed Rachel by the wrist and began tugging her out the door. Cloud barely had time to grab his sword so he could rush after the two with Stalint following in step behind him.

"This is something I gotta see," Stalint said to the blonde who snorted in agreement and then began to wonder where they were as there was nothing in the area that Cloud could recognize to pinpoint their location as by now they were heading down halls that looked to be made of cement and steel rather than just steel.

"Um, may I ask where we are going and why can't I just run with you instead of you trying to dislocate my arm tugging me along the halls?" Rachel decided to voice Cloud's question.

"You'll see and I'm not trying to dislocate your arm! More like make sure you don't back out on your agreement," Zack answered with smirk. Rachel looked incredulously at the raven 1st as if he'd gone insane.

"The fuck? Do I look like the type to go back on my word and even if I did want to escape it's not like I couldn't escape if the situation called for it. Haven't you ever heard the saying 'Don't underestimate your enemies?'" Rachel drawled looking at Zack with disbelief. Zack didn't reply as they had reach what looked like a parking garage and Zack showed the security guard his clearance pass.

"The Cadets are with me as well and I believe Rachel has the authority to leave as well," Zack told the guard.

"I'll need to see her pass for proof, sir," the guard said and Rachel shot the guard a look.

"Are you kidding, Ralph? I can't believe you forgot about me already I'm only down here to get my jeep like every other week," she said the guard with an amused grin.

"Oh shit, uh I mean sorry, Rachel. I didn't see you behind Zack here. Another hunt today or something?" the guard known as Ralph asked nervously while trying to cover up his insubordination and use of his foul language in front of two superior officers. Rachel sent a side glance to the raven who still held her wrist captive.

"Mmm, something like that. Do we need to show you anymore proof or are we clear to continue?" Rachel answered not giving the guard a chance to press forward with more questions that could delay them any further.

"Oh yeah, go right ahead," Ralph answered with a dismissal wave giving a good glance at Zack's and Rachel's hands as he watched the four walk away.

"So then I don't suppose we could take your jeep then? I kinda left my keys back at my apartment," Zack asked meekly rubbing the back of his head. Rachel rolled her eyes and yanked her hand out of Zack's grip to fish around the inside of her sash and pulled out a set of keys.

"I don't understand how the General puts up with you sometimes Zack," Rachel sighed and set off in the direction of her not so far away red jeep.

"Oi, that hurt!" Zack whined in mock hurt placing a hand over his heart.

Rachel unlocked the doors and allowed Stalint to climb in behind the driver's seat before she climbed in herself.

"Before we set off to this mystery place, I want to lay a few ground rules which is really just to do what I say. That means if I say to stay by the jeep, stay by the jeep, if I tell you to go back to headquarters then go back to headquarters. The reason for this is because if there are possible ki users within the vicinity of where we are headed. I may have to fight them and I'm not exactly well liked because of my association with Salira so if there is a possible fight it could turn ugly and none of you even know how to use ki let alone fend off someone who has had years of experience in that field. This leads me to my next request, Cloud has Sal taught you how to mask your chakra yet?" Rachel said twisting her body around so she could see all three of them with Zack being in the passenger seat and Cloud sitting behind him next to Stalint.

"Yes, she has," Cloud said with a nod that was echoed by the other two males who were accepting the rules Rachel had laid out for them.

"Then please do so as sensing Chakra that is now active in your body among the fray of a battle of ki would only add more fuel to the fire so to speak. They would know instantly that you are a shinobi or one in training and would be after you like a pack of wolves. I'd rather not have to explain to Salira why all of a sudden she was now missing her student," Rachel explained and Cloud did so.

"Also I do request that everyone wears their seatbelt while in my car so by the time I start this baby up I should hear four clicks," Rachel said after she turned around and stuck the key in the ignition before turning it. The car roared to life as resounding clicks of seatbelts being snapped into place was heard after snapping her seatbelt nice and snugly around her lap and torso, Rachel pushed in the clutch so she could shove the stick into reverse. After backing out of the parking space, Rachel pushed in the clutch again and sent the stick into 1st gear so she could drive the jeep out of the parking garage through the ramp leading upward and onto the streets the radio blaring music from a CD.

"Nice taste, the Gorillaz are the best!" Zack complimented as he bobbed his head along to Rockit.

"Thanks, now which way am I supposed to go?" Rachel asked the first class.

"Oh, take a left onto the highway," Zack told her before he started ransacking the CD holder on the passenger mirror above the dash board containing a nice variety of the collection of music Rachel liked.

"Not a country music person, eh?" Zack asked when he finished browsing through the surprisingly good collection in his opinion and found that the one genre that was actually missing in the collection was in fact country music.

"Not really no, the way they sing just doesn't appeal to me and the fact that where I was born there was nothing BUT country music to listen to and when I moved to Midgar to become the Tamer and found there was a world outside of "There Goes My Life" or "To Get to You" I fell in love with it. The closest thing to country you'll find me listening to nowadays is Regina Spektor and that's it," Rachel replied shifting the jeep into fifth gear to match the speed on the highway.

"Poets of the Fall? Never heard of them-what do they sound like?" Stalint asked after reading label off of one CD. Rachel looked like Stalint had just asked her what water was.

"Are you mad? You've never heard of the Poets of the Fall? Man are you one deprived child, they're like only my favorite band after the Gorillaz," Rachel screeched in horror like she was in utter agony before she reached over barely missing Zack's nose with the back of her hand and plucked an one of the various albums that she had for Poets of the Fall and stuck the CD in after she ejected Gorillaz from the middle of its verse of "Rockit Rockit-" and music started blaring a rich deep male voice of Marko to surprising blend of rock, pop, metal and industrial sounds as Rachel replaced the empty space the CD had been using with the Gorillaz CD.

"Ooh, nice voice and sound too," Stalint complimented as he listened to the lyrics more of the current song "Lift". In fact, all three males couldn't help but bob their heads along Marko's voice.

"So where to next Mr. Fair," Rachel teased the sable haired SOLDIER.

"Uh, actually just follow the highway out of the city and then I'll tell you where to go to next," Zack fold her in amused grin at the Tamer's tease before going back to listening to the music of which he turned the volume up a bit more so the music was blaring from the speakers. Stalint and Cloud shared a look in the back seat. An hour and half later found the foursome in the middle of the desert with Midgar only half visible on the horizon to the north. Rachel stretched out her ki senses to see if any other ki users were in the vicinity and secretly sighed in relief when she found none. Well none close enough to detect her ki and come running for a fight anyway.

"Well come on Ms. Ki Fighter let's see this mysterious Ki of yours," It was Zack's turn to tease the tamer as he threw open his door to clamber out onto the gritty sand and rock of the ground and pushed the seat forward so Cloud could follow suit. Rachel snorted and rolled her eyes before she used her feet to kick open her own door and jumped out reminding herself to push up her seat so Stalint could have his chance to stretch his legs from the hour and half long drive from headquarters. Slamming the door shut, Rachel didn't wait for the three males to say or do anything as she just turned on her heel and took a few strides a good few feet away from the jeep so she could have plenty of room to power up and not damage their only transportation back to Midgar in the process. Zack, Stalint nor Cloud didn't have any protests to this and just followed at an easy distance behind the brunette. When Rachel found a good distance away, she just weirdly took a squatting stance with her feet spread shoulder width apart and had her hands balled into fists with her forearms bent at a ninety-degree angle to bring said fists out in front of her torso.

"Now what are you doing?" Zack asked bewildered as he inspected the focused look on the Captain's SiC's face.

"Ki, unlike Chakra, doesn't really take all that much effort to draw it out once you get experienced with using the Ki, but I haven't really had to use my ki all that much to the point where I had to bring it out in its physical form so I'm going to have to power up somewhat so I have enough ki to perform our desired goal. You three may want to take a few steps back though as the area around me will get really intense when I begin to power up," Rachel explained and advised her companions all the while never losing the inward focused look on her face as she took deep controlled breaths to prepare herself for the rush of adrenaline that was sure to come with her power up.

"Oh, um ok," Zack said slowly but still bewildered as he and the two cadets with him took a few steps back to give the ki user the room she had advised she'd be given for their safety.

"Brace yourselves," was all Rachel warned them before she closed her eyes and dipped into her well of ki that stored her spirit energy within her body and slowly siphoned it to the surface but only enough to perform the task the three men around her had asked of her. Instantly, a sudden gust of fierce wind picked up as it whipped their hair in its grasp and blew at their cloths carrying dust and loose rocks in its wake while thus doing so.

"Whoa," Stalint exclaimed trying to regain his footing that was thrown off balance from the sudden gush of wind and failed miserably as he stumbled and fell backwards onto his bum. Cloud and Zack had to grit their teeth and dig their feet further into the ground to keep themselves from following Stalint to a rather very bruising and dusty meeting with the ground as they held their arms in front of their faces to keep the debris in the air out of their eyes and mouths.

"Haahh-ah!" Rachel breathed when she eventually was able to even out her power up and straightened up from her squatting position trying to calm the jittery nerves racing through her veins her body just itching for a fight now that the energy it had been deprived of for so long had been reacquainted with it. Then Rachel brought her hands in front of her chest with her fingers sticking out and pressed together with her thumbs laid against the palms that faced each other. Slowly bits of yellow light sparkled to life as they pooled to the center of the space in between Rachel's hands like a new Sun suddenly being born. Then all of a sudden the bits of light had condensed and formed one giant ball about the size of a tennis ball blaring brightly like Rachel's own personal Sun that she could carry around with her whenever she wished to.

"This-is Ki or rather Spiritual energy," Rachel informed them with satisfaction keeping her eyes locked onto the ball of light that she moved her hands around to cup it underneath before she turned to face the three males so they could get a better view of Rachel's spiritual energy.

"_That's_ Ki? Wow, how much did it take for you to draw it out like that?" Cloud inquired of his taijutsu instructor as he stepped closer to the female so he get a closer inspection of the sphere of light that fascinatingly floated above Rachel's upward palms.

"You can touch it you know, there's not enough ki in this ball right now to even cook a fish it'd be just like sticking your hand in a s]ink full of lukewarm water. As far as how much it took, well it let's not I don't even have a tenth of my ki in this ball right here so really not all that much. Really as long as you have ki in your body anyone can draw it out into its physical form (A/N: At least that's what I gathered from watching Dragon Ball Z i.e.: when Gohan teaches Videl how to fly and everything) it's the dedication and amount of mediation and training you are willing to put your body through that determines whether you can draw it out of your body and only being able to use it to strengthen your muscles for punching and or kicking your opponent in a spar or battle," Rachel explained.

"So I can't do that then," Stalint muttered dejectedly as if he were a puppy being denied the puppy treat someone had tauntingly kept dangling in front of its nose but kept jerking it out of the puppy's reach every time it tried to take it. Rachel laughed.

"Why do you say that?" Rachel asked quizzically.

"Well, you said that you need to have to Ki in order to bring it out to its physical form and well-" Stalint had begun to ramble on and on about until Rachel decided to interrupt the boy before he went into a meltdown.

"-And you think you can't do it because you don't have any ki to begin with right?" the tamer finished with a raised eyebrow at the cadet to which Stalint could only nod at.

"Bullshit! Whoever is putting those kinds of ideas and thoughts into your head needs to get drop kicked into the nearest black hole in my opinion. Everybody has ki Stalint. You, me, your pet gold fish right down that little shrub of a cactus behind you. It's called a spiritual energy for a reason because you are drawing this energy from your very own spirit-hence the name Spiritual energy. The reason why you haven't been able to use this ki is because you have been doubting yourself, Stalint and I won't have that! Doubting yourself only hampers your potential to succeed in the career you wish to pursue with Shinra Inc," Rachel dictated rather passionately as she let the ball of ki cupped in her hands to dissipate and return to her body.

"So what else can you do with Ki? I mean other than making it glow I don't see what's so hazardous about it," Zack asked curiously scratching the side of his face as he took in this new side of Rachel that brought new revelations to him.

_"Why do I get the feeling that there's a hidden story with Rachel that's connected to this ki?"_ the SOLDIER couldn't help but wonder in silence.

"Well-" Rachel started to say before she sensed a ki signature that had wandered a little too close to their location to the Tamer's liking.

"-Well?" Cloud prodded for further information oblivious to the serious look on his taijutsu instructor's face.

"Shh," was all Rachel uttered in response as she sensed the ki signature not two miles from here wander closer and closer to them.

_"Not good, if they wander any closer they'll be able to sense my ki signature and no doubt come running like a hellhound out for blood,"_ Rachel thought to herself.

"What's wrong?" Zack had the foresight to look closer at Rachel's expression and gathered that a not-so-friendly was close by.

"A Ki user not two miles east of here. We need to get back to the jeep before they sense my ki signature. Since I'm giving off a good amount of ki the opponent may want to challenge me to a spar, normally I wouldn't hesitate to take the challenge but with Cloud here I don't want to take the chance of him or her sensing your chakra and then things will get really ugly. Zack, can you drive?" Rachel asked the raven first class.

"Uh, yeah," Zack answered wondering why he was the one driving Rachel's jeep as he was tossed the keys to start the red vehicle.

"Good, cause you're driving in case I do have to fight the ki user. C'mon let's go," Rachel ushered to the three males making her own way over to the jeep with the said males following behind.

"How is he going to catch up with us in a jeep at 70 and + mph, though?" Cloud asked aloud as the four jumped back in the jeep and took off in the direction of Midgar.

"You'll see in about a minute, he just found my ki signature and is headed this way fast. Zack step on it!" Rachel growled her body tense and ready to jump on top of the jeep if she had to in order deflect a ki blast. You could hear the crunch as Zack's steel toed boot stomped the gas pedal all the way to the floor and the engine roared in determination as its pistons pumped faster to allow more fuel be pumped to the areas it needed to be so the axel turned faster allowing the wheels to catch up to the speed it was being demanded to go at making a b-line for Midgar. Ironically the next song to come on was "Locking Up the Sun" from the Poets of Fall as Marko's rich voice began to flow through the speakers.

"You know if the situation weren't so serious, I'd be laughing my ass off at the irony of this song to be the one to be played next," Rachel commented allowing an amused grin to spread across her facial features. Cloud and Stalint looked at Rachel with a crazy look at her odd sense of humor at an inappropriate time while Zack just chuckled.

"Cloud, Stalint you may want to keep your heads low in case the ki user decides to fire a ki blast at us," Rachel advised the two boys sitting behind Zack and her while she fiddled with the straps and latches that secured the canvas top of the jeep. One freed, the canvas top took flight and rolled on the ground behind them. Cloud and Stalint were only happy to oblige if it meant that their faces wouldn't be subjected to target practice for ki blasts from some riled up maniac ki fighter.

"Just keep driving, no matter what Zack," Rachel told the male.

"Gotchya," was all Zack gave as a response. Then Rachel had to quickly jump on top of the bars on top of the jeep so she could back hand away a ball of ki that had been launched at them. The ball of ki flew into a boulder just up ahead of them destroying the poor boulder into a smaller pile of rocks and sand.

"HOLY SHIT!!!" Zack shouted in alarm swerving the jeep away in order to keep them from being buried under the rocks as they drove by. Laughter was then heard from a male voice as it floated along the ground next to the jeep on the driver's side.

"Well looky what I stumbled across! When I went to investigate the source of the sudden flare of ki that blared to life in this area who would have thought I'd find you Storm, you chakra loving traitor," the man sneered with a malicious smirk down at the female who only glared at him in defiance.

"Is he flying?" Stalint gasped his eyes nearly bugging out of his eye sockets. Rachel ignored Stalint's question shaking her head to get the braid of hair that flew in front of her face in the wind out of her eye sight and breathing space.

"Before we fight I have only two requests. One is to know who my challenger is and the other is to leave my companions you see with me out of this fight. They have no knowledge nor any experience in ki. They're innocent and as a ki fighter it is your honor and duty to not draw those who are innocent into a fight that they do not belong in," Rachel tried to reason with the unknown challenger. The man was weirdly dressed compared to the SOLDIER and Cadet uniforms Zack, Cloud and Stalint wore. He had on what Rachel later on informed them to be called a Gi which was just a black sleeveless tunic with a white undershirt with the sleeves not even reaching the middle of his biceps. Black loose pants were tucked into black boots that pointed at the toes and reached all the way up to his knee. A white sash was secured around the man's waist to keep his pants from falling down and white wrist bands were kept snug around the man's wrists. The man's muscles were huge, much bigger than even Zack's to his jealousy and the only hair he had was a weird green color and stuck out at the top of his in head in a spiky mohawk. The man's coal black eyes flashed with both consideration and personal insult for some reason.

"Hm, such mockery like words coming from a traitor like you but if you must know I am known as Ivan the Great Warrior of Ki and I will only leave your friends alone so long as you defeat me in a battle," the warrior now known as Ivan responded with a snarl.

"Great Warrior of Ki, eh? More like the Great Warrior of Stench! Seriously what the hell ma? You reek, haven't you ever heard of a shower or tic-tac? I can smell your B.O. all the way from over here-ew!" Rachel taunted pinching her nose with one hand. The three men in the jeep couldn't help but snigger at Rachel's comeback. Ivan scowled.

_"At least she knows how to get under the guy's skin. Seriously though, how is Rachel going to fight the man? I mean it looks like he's not even breaking a sweat using his ki to fly beside us and Rachel's only standing on top of the jeep!"_ Zack couldn't help but wonder in worry.

"Oi! That is not true! I shower at least three times a day and plus I just put on this nice after shave I just found it helps to attract the ladies!" Ivan shouted back in indignation waving his hands up and down. Rachel looked about ready to fall off the jeep as she burst out laughing.

"Then you need to go back to wherever you found bought that aftershave from and demand for a refund because that is obviously NOT working for you if attracting "The Ladies" is what you're aiming for. More like they'll run away screaming in horror and repulsiveness if anything," Rachel retorted through her laughter of which Zack couldn't help but join in on. For such a menacing man, Ivan suddenly let out a pout like a toddler being denied its favorite candy in a grocery store.

"Oh yeah and what do you know you-little-good-for-nothing-chakra-loving-traitor!?" Ivan growled at the tamer. Rachel, mockingly, put a finger to her kips as she looked down at the raven haired SOLDIER and two cadets.

"Wow, I had no idea I was a man! Eh, what do you guys think? Do I make a pretty good transvestite or what?" She joked with the males with a cocky grin.

"Well you certainly had me fooled, I mean that must be the best damn boob job and circumcision I've ever seen!" Zack replied in laughter playing along.

"I know right, I mean obviously I've done it somewhere but for the life of me I haven't a clue as to where or when I had it done and how I got the money to pay for it also escapes my grasp cause the confetti of a pay check Shinra gives me might as well be shot to the graveyard after paying for dog food for Maddie and groceries," Rachel continued with her joke acting as though as if the man's intelligence she's insulting had suddenly turned invisible. Ivan's cheeks flushed in anger and embarrassment.

"Yeah, where's the bank you robbed to get the money for it? It's obviously not in Midgar that's for sure," Cloud inquired of the girl wanting the joke to be shared with him too.

"Argh, enough talk! I'm going to wipe the floor with your dead body after I'm done with you! You're going to pay for insulting me!" Ivan growled charging through the air for Rachel's head with his fists stuck out in front of him like some wannabe Superman.

"Oh look there goes Tarzan Jr. as he performs the shittiest little charge I've ever seen. I mean really who does that these days?" Rachel piped up with a snigger before she launched into the air to meet Ivan's with her fist in the air as she used her ki to buffer herself from the ground to fly. Ducking in between the space between Ivan's fists Rachel a nice right hook at the man's kisser that knocked a good few meters back into the rock wall of the over-hanging cliff the jeep decided to conveniently pass by.

"Son of a bitch, that's one heck of a punch!" Stalint gasped forgetting that Zack, his superior officer that could give him a coaching for his foul use of language, was present and trying very hard to concentrate on driving Rachel's jeep in one peace back to the now barely closer Midgar and simultaneously watch as much of the fight as he could that took place above their heads.

_"Man, no fair! Even chicks can fly too and without wings!!!"_ the SOLDIER 1st pouted to himself.

"You little brat, that was lucky shot!" Ivan growled as he burst from the rock wall a giant hand reared back to take a swipe at the much smaller female floating in mid-air before him grinning at him tauntingly.

"how the heck can he move after being thrown into the rock wall like that?" Cloud gasped in wonder as he watched wide-eyed as Rachel ducked to avoid the swipe by bending her torso back at a ninety degree angle Ivan's fist meet nothing but thin air as it passed over the area where Rachel's torso had just been.

"Martial artists have a much higher tolerance for pain then normal human beings since they beat the shit out of each other with nothing but their bare hands from day to day," a very familiar female voice explained making Cloud nearly jump out of his skin. Zack had to quickly gain back control of the jeep as it had jerked violently in his jump of fright at the sound of a new voice among them that no one had been aware of.

"Captain! How'd you know we were out here? Wait scratch that, how'd you even get on the jeep? You can't have been able to run that fast this jeep is going well over 80 mph!" Cloud exclaimed when his eyes laid on the kunoichi calmly sitting on top of the bar used to help secure the canvas top the bar being suspended above the blonde and Stalint. Salira looked at Cloud like he was crazy.

"No, that would've taken too much time. I was merely curious as to why your chakra signature was all the way out here in the desert of all places when I knew Rachel mentioned that your training session would be taking place in the training room. Then I felt Rachel's ki flare and grew alarmed when another unknown ki signature joined you so I decided to teleport to your chakra signature to investigate on the matter. Imagine my surprise when I find all three of you gunning for Midgar and Rachel beating a ki fighter to a pulp," Salira explaining giving Cloud a reproaching glare who could only return a sheepish look of his own.

"Yeah sorry about that, we wanted Rachel to show us her ki and we kinda picked up a wannabe bully in the process. He doesn't know about Cloud so it has nothing to do with that," Zack explained having the foresight to leave Cloud's chakra out of the picture in case Ivan happened to overhear. Then he had to jerk the jeep out of the way in order to avoid being hit by the green haired ki fighter as he was sent plummeting from the sky by a dropkick to the ribs from Rachel. Zack, seeing how it was now safe to do so now that Salira had shown up, decided this be a good time to bring the jeep to halt so all three could watch the fight without having to dodge ki blasts and flying bodies in the process.

"So fast though, I mean it looks like Rachel-sensei isn't breaking a sweat over this like she's just toying with the guy!" Cloud exclaimed in awe and it was true as though all that flying and dodging jabs and punches from Ivan hadn't even caused Rachel to break a light sweat as she floated above the Ivan shaped hole in the ground her eyes down cast to give the green haired man a bored and dull look with her hands formed into fists which were then placed on her hips. While Ivan looked like he just was thrown into a close dryer and while it went through an hours' worth of its drying cycle the dryer was then chucked into the nearest whirlpool. Bruises and welts marred the visible skin, dried blood trailed from his mouth and down his chin from a busted lip and he had a nice sunrise blooming in his left eye. Cloud looked more closely and saw that a tooth had gone missing in the man's mouth somewhere along the way of his journey in meeting with the sand and rocks of the desert floor.

"Well she pretty much is though I can't blame her. See compared to all of the other Ki Fighters out there Rachel is really strong her level when you compare it with ki fighters and to the ranks of SOLDIER she would be two and a half Sephiroths. Don't look so shocked, there are others out there that would be more than that and well in Midgar there are no ki fighters that Rachel can at least fight on occasion. So the rare opportunity that Rachel actually does find in the form of a willing Ki fighter that will spar with her she won't hesitate to take it. Though I'm surprised she's not trying to drag it out further than this despite the fact you three are innocent bystanders and could get hurt in the middle of their fight," Salira construed simply.

_"Wow, two and a half Sephs-man she's really strong. I wonder if I can get her to show me how to use Ki? But how would I ask her? I mean it's not like I can go up to her and demand that she show me how to use ki. I have a feeling asking my Rach is going to be an adventure on its own. Wait __**my Rach**__ since when did she become mine in the first place?"_ Zack was having a tough battle with his will to not let the blood rise to his cheeks giving away his embarrassment.

"Uh, Zack? Are you alright? You look like you just swallowed a lemon or something," Stalint had to ask when he saw the look on the SOLDIER'S face that looked to be a cross of constipation and dismay.

"What? Oh no, I'm fine just thinking about how I will explain to Seph why my paperwork hasn't reached his desk by now," Zack spouted using his brain to think on the fly and come up with a good excuse. Stalint shook his head.

"You're about paper work at a time like this? Hello a hot chick is kicking some dude's ass! What more can you ask for?" Stalint said. Zack had no idea why he shot the cadet a death glare who now looked about ready to piss his pants.

_"How dare he say that about my girl! Fuck! There I go again with that 'my' shit! What the fuck is wrong with me? *Sigh* I need a vacation badly!!"_ Zack redirected the death glare to his lap.

"Dude what's up with you?" Cloud bothered to ask his friend.

"Nothing, just forget about it!"

"Okay, okay no need to bite my head off for it! Sheesh!"

"Sorry."

Cloud shot the man a look before he turned back to watch the fight making Zack and Stalint do the same.

"Are we done now? Or do I need to kick your ass around the desert for a couple more rounds until you get the message that I'm bored as fuck and you're dumb ass can't do anything more as it's quite busy breathing rocks so there's no point in continuing this fight and you can leave us alone so we can be on our merrily little way," Rachel growled at Ivan who could only emit a groan from his prone position on the ground.

"Haha, that's enough Rach leave the poor sap alone," Salira called laughingly up to her best friend.

"Aw, spoil sport! You take away all the fun you know that Cousin It?" Rachel whined with a very adorable pout to her lips.

_"SO CUTE!!! Gah! God dammit stop that!!!"_ Zack slammed his head face down on the steering wheel and he couldn't help but blush furiously when he felt several pairs of eyes on him when the jeep emitted a very loud honk.

"My bad, ignore that!"

"Well then look at it this way, if you leave the bloke alive you'll get to kick the guy's ass again when he comes back for round two. Plus it'll keep you out of my hair a bit more," Salira turned back to tease the tamer. Rachel snorted.

"Thank God for that, it'd be a nightmare trying to navigate through that thing!" Rachel retorted with a smirk.

"Oh, the horror," Salira deadpanned rolling her eyes. Rachel flipped her superior officer the bird as she flew down to them.

"Wait! I'm not done yet bitch-try this on for size!" came a cry from the prone form below as Ivan released a ki blast unexpectedly at Rachel.

"Watch out!" the men in the jeep tried to warn their friend Zack moreso with a fearful look on his face. Unfortunately, it seemed as if the warning came too late as the female had turned to face the man and in thus doing so took the blast head on. A grunt of pain escaped from the cloud of smoke that obscured Rachel's form preventing anyone from seeing the extent of the damage to their friend. When the smoke finally cleared it was only then that the onlookers were able to get a good look and Zack was torn between sighing in relief at the fact that Rachel was not dead and gasping in horror and concern at the charred patches of flesh that marred the brunette's skin and frayed clothes. Though, if you hadn't heard the grunt of pain coming from the female's very own lips you would think from the expression on Rachel's face that she didn't feel an ounce of pain from her injuries as she looked merely annoyed at the fact that she had let her guard down enough to get hit.

"Why you sneaky, little son of a bitch!: Rachel growled at the man for once going on a full offense instead balancing both defense and offense to get her hits in.

"You want to play with fire? Then fire is what you'll get!" the Tamer prissily snarled bringing her hands up her right fist being brought up next to her mouth while her left arm was bent out in front of her all of her fingers of her hand bunched into a fist against the palm except for her index and middle finger which were bent at the middle knuckle.

"Butoukai no Arashi First Kata: 10,000 Flash Strikes!" Rachel called out summoning large amounts of ki.

"Oh shit, hit the deck guys!!!" Salira cried out in alarm before dropping down into the vacant passenger seat and crouched into a ball with her head ducked down low and used her hands to cover the top of it. The men were only able to follow suit keeping their eyes out watch the scene unfold as all of sudden charcoal black storm clouds materialized out of nowhere and swirled above their heads making the wind pick up that blew more fiercely than when Rachel had powered up to show the males her ki. Then Rachel launched straight up into the sky like a cork being shot out of a bubbly wine bottle. Though as she shot to disappear into the clouds above bolts of lightning seem to dance across her form quickly cover her form like a second skin making it look like a bolt of lightning was trying to strike the heavens above from the ground below. A sudden period of silence hung about in the air like an ominous aura.

"What's happening?" Cloud barely managed roar over the gale of wind to his Captain and Stalint and Zack strained to hear the rest of the conversation.

"Rachel's 10,000 Flash Strikes is what's happening!" Salira responded with a bellow of her own before she started spluttering because of a sudden clump of sand entering her mouth. She coughed into her lap and wiped her mouth in an attempt to get rid of the grit out of her mouth. Meanwhile Ivan was seen stumbling further and further away from the jeep quivering in fear as if he'd just suddenly remembered something only a little too late.

"10,000 Flash Strikes-holy shit! Sensei warned me about this attack of Storm's it's supposed to be a combined attack with the user's ki and lightning magic. Storm created this attack and is the only one who can use it. It is said that no one has escaped the attack unscathed," the man howled just loud enough over the wind for the foursome to hear within the safe confines of Rachel's jeep.

_"Lightning magic?"_ Stalint mouthed back to Cloud who could only shrug before a noise above brought their attention back to the abnormal weather in the sky. Flashes of lightning played and arced from cloud to cloud sending rumbles of lightning to roll across the expanse of the desert. A streak of light all of a sudden shot down from the black wisps striking at Ivan's feet just missing the man by a hair but it seemed that the man hadn't escaped the strike unscathed as a sudden cry of pain tore from the man's lips as his muscles lurched into seizure like spasms as Ivan tried to gain control of his legs and arms. Using his hands to clutch his suddenly broken nose that gushed blood that rewetted the trickle down his chin as it gushed past his lips. The ki user was barely able to use his left leg to take a step back in order to escape from the strike zone when another flash happened and a bolt of lightning shot down behind the man's backside and the man lurched forward from a sudden right jab thrown at his exposed backside. Now it seemed as if the lightning were speeding up converging on the poor man as fists struck out at him from all angles. His body jerked and his muscles twitched in continues spasms as if he were having heart attack or seizure all of the strikes yet to be determined as the unseen force moved like a jack rabbit darting in and out of the clouds faster than anyone could try to see. Curiously each time the ma was struck Rachel's voice was heard calling out words the foursome were able to catch over the wind and rumbling thunders from each lightning strike.

"1,000 strikes-2,000, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7-8,000, 9,000, 10,000 STRIKES!"

With the last cry, a sudden bolt seared and cut through the man's body striking from the left side and streak of lightning came to an abrupt halt and flared away to reveal the body of Rachel her right leg bent at a forty-five degree angle in front of her with her left leg stretched out behind her so that her toes only touched the ground. Her right arm was stretched out in front of her with her hand pulled into a claw like fashion while her left arm was raised shoulder height stretched out to the side and pulled back slightly with her elbow bent so that her forearm ran parallel with her shoulder and had her hand also formed into a claw. The final strike let off a beast-like rumbling roar across the arid wasteland as the lightning flared into a explosion that forced Ivan to collapse to the ground in a spasming heap whimpering and wheezing in pain.

"Hot damn that was fucking awesome!" Zack cheered him being the first to raise his head to get a good view of the end results. Rachel panted from the exertion of having to use so much ki so suddenly as she turned to face her spectators peeking out at her from the jeep.

"Anymore question about what ki is and does?" She asked them as the clouds dispersed above to let the rays of sunshine break through and shine down on them in its golden glory.

* * *

Rachel-"Woohoo! I kick ass!"

M.K.-"You sure do, Rach."

Zack-"Okay, okay ki does have its wonders but um shouldn't someone do the read and review request so M.K. can get started on the next chapter?"

M.K.-"I suppose you are right but who's gonna do it?"

Rachel-(Quickly shakes her head and falls to the ground pretending to be tired) "Not me! I'm too wiped from that last battle you put me through!"

Zack-(Meekly decides to throw in his excuse next) "And my voice hurts from giving out that last cheer."

M.K.-"Well then who's gonna do it? I'm too lazy to do it or otherwise I'd do it myself."

(All three glance down at the black lab that stops from the middle of his game of chasing his tail and whimpers)

M.K.-(Sighs) "Maddie if you do the request I'll give you a puppy treat!"

Maddie-(In doggie language) "Please Read and Review, thank you! Now where's that puppy treat?"


	8. “The Way of a Ki Fighter: Look! It’s a b

M.K. (Bounces around excitedly)

Salira (Watching M.K. nearly miss landing on poor Maddie's tail from her bouncing) "What's gotten you so hyper today?"

M.K.(Never stops bouncing while she speaks) "Because in less than a week I turn 21! I can't wait! God this is going to be the best birthday ever!"

Cloud and Rachel-"Congrats."

Sephiroth-"Just don't do anything too wild."

M.K.(Stops her bouncing to give Sephiroth a weird look) "Uh, it's my twenty-first birthday and we are going to the casino how are we NOT going to do anything too wild? Duh, it's the day I become legal for everything I'm gonna go all out for this!"

Zack(Wipes a fake tear from his eye) "That's my girl, so proud they grow up so fast!"

Rachel-"Woot! Par-tay! Can I come?"

M.K.-"Of course!"

Rachel-"Awesome!"

M.K.-"But only if you do the disclaimer!"

Rachel-"Damn! Alright alright-hem hem-M.K. does not own Final Fantasy VII or Naruto if she did she would be a multibillionaire."

M.K. (Pulls up in a fancy limousine) "Lets go Rach!"

* * *

**~Chapter 8: "The Way of a Ki Fighter: Look! It's a bird!-Oh Wait Wrong Comic! My Bad!"**

_"Where can she be at this time? I mean how busy can a second-in-command get?"_ Zack wondered scratching the back of his head as he stood outside the apparently vacant office owned by Rachel. Zack had wanted to catch the Tamer after her taijutsu lesson with Cloud but had overslept and missed the brunette by ten _**freakin'**_ minutes. Zack couldn't decide if he should kick himself or bash his head against the nearest wall.

_"I'm gonna learn how to fly dammit!"_ Zack thought in determination and proceeded to comb through the building looking for his current fascination but after three complete sweeps top to bottom and five retreats to check the female's office the search came up as empty as it was before and Rachel's jeep was here after Zack checked the parking garage so that gave Zack reason to believe Rachel was somewhere within the building but apparently always in a different spot.

"Hey, have you seen second-in-command Rachel Storm? The Tamer? She's about this tall with brown hair, blue eyes and always wears spikes on her arms," Zack nabbed a passing bystander.

"Um, why don't you ask the Captain? She always in her office just take the elevator up one more floor. The Captain's office is directly above Storm's," the person suggested and Zack had to fight the urge to face palm.

"Um, sorry to disturb you Sal but have you seen Rachel? I have a question I'd like to ask her but I can't seem to find her anywhere in the building!" the SOLDIER 1st asked the kunoichi once he'd raced up to the female's office. Salira took a second to glance at the clock hanging on the wall behind the SOLDIER 1st.

"Well it's noon so she'll probably be down at the stables just outside of Midgar to the east. Will you also tell her to go to lunch when you get there? Knowing Rachel she'll probably be too absorbed in her work that she's forgotten about taking her lunch. Rachel's one of those types where she won't go to lunch unless there's someone there to physically make her go and eat," Salira turned her remark into a request of her own. Zack nodded and was about turn away but halted when another question popped into his head that made him scratch the back of his neck sheepishly.

"Um, one other thing-how am I going to get there? I can't fly or else I would and nor do I own a vehicle," the SOLDIER voiced his confusion.

"I thought you might. Here, this is a transportation scroll that will take you to the stables; you just have to open it and swipe a little blood on it and it should take you there," Salira answered with a sigh surrendering over a scroll to Zack's possession. Zack shrugged and used his sword to cut open his thumb to smear a trail of blood down the length of ancient kanji on the scroll. There was a poof as smoke clouded his vision and some was accidentally inhaled in Zack's intake of breath making him go into a bout of coughs to clear his throat.

" *Cough*-Geeze! Does there have to be so much smoke? *Cough Cough*" Zack said aloud in between coughs as he waved his hands in front of his person in an attempt to clear the smoke away. When the smoke finally did disperse Zack was surprised to find himself being embraced in the wind's grasp as it swept over the open grounds around him as Zack suddenly found himself outside facing the open doors of a stable barn emitting sounds both animal and human alike. Horses neighed, Chocobos warked and huffed while voices of human speech spoke amongst each other giving orders or asking another of their opinion on this subject of this animal. One such voice Zack found floating out the door and into his welcoming ears was the voice of the person he'd been spending all this time trying to find.

"-I was thinking we could put on a bigger shoe and use rope to support it like this see?" Rachel was in the middle of saying bent over with the back right hook of a horse in between her thighs as she tapped a second nail in through it's intended hole to secure the oversized shoe in place. Zack winced at the sight of the evidently abused and undernourished gelding that would have a stunning white coat if the mistreatment of its owner's hadn't brought its cruel hand on the poor thing's health.

"I'm so glad you came down today, Chief! I was so beside myself when I came in and saw him down like that and after all the progress he's been making too!" what was obviously a stable hand gushed and cooed to the tamer not taking not of the female's annoyed expression as she rolled her eyes to the heavens.

"And what progress would that be, Amy? What progress have you been present to see and have knowledge of? From what your chief stable-hand tells me, Mike had to literally haul your ass in here today for you to come! Do you just not care about your career as the assistant stable hand anymore? Never mind hand me two of those rolls of gauze and that bungee rope then I want you to join Fred and Johnny and help them prepare the stalls for Barn #2. We're supposed to have a new shipment of chocobos in this week so we need them to be ready," Rachel ordered as she nailed in the last nail for the shoe.

"Ew! You mean like shuck out the stalls and wash out animal dung so more animals can come in to dump _more_ dung in? No thanks, I'll pass!" the stable hand now known as Amy whined.

"Then that's the sixth write up to add to the list of insubordination you've displayed and collected which leads me to happily fire your whiney little ass! What the fuck Amy? How you got the title of assistant stable hand is beyond me because you obviously haven't earned it from what you've just shown me. You don't listen, you don't follow and do the orders you are told to do nor do you ever show up anymore! You know what-just go home! And if your ass isn't here tomorrow at 7 a.m. sharp actually contributing to help these animals and your fellow stable-hands then consider your career here to be terminated because I am tired of putting up with your bullshit, Amy!" Rachel growled icily straightening up her posture so she could death glare the stablehand that stood there gaping in shock her boss.

"Well what are you waiting for? The daisies to grow? Get the fuck out of here!" Rachel snarled shoving a fist in the female's face to get the woman's body to launch into movement by running out a side stable door.

This left Rachel to huff and grumble under her breath as she bent back over her current work to carefully wrap the busted back right leg of the gelding who snorted through his nostrils as if the miniature cat fight behind him was somehow amusing to the horse.

"Oh, shut it you! You're not helping matters here," Rachel reprimanded the animal she was leaning on who only neighed in laughter.

"I don't think he cares at this point. You gotta admit that was kinda amusing," Zack said to the tamer as he walked up to the female who gasped as she shot up again.

"Sheesh, Zack you tryin' to send me to an early grave? My heart was about to leap out of my chest!" Rachel whined in indignation.

"Uh, sorry?"

"Oh, you're horrible! What are you doing out here anyway?" Rachel laughed in her own amusement.

"Actually I'm here on two notices one is that I have a question I'd like to ask you and the other is to take you to lunch," Zack informed the brunette his chest swelling with pride when he saw the glowing smile on the female's face. Rachel raised an eyebrow placing her brown, gloved fisted hands on the denim shorts that hung about her waist that was accompanied by an olive green tank top and brown boots. With her chestnut brown hair pulled back into its usual braid that hung down to her hips Rachel looked like someone who was ready to get dirty doing hard manual labor.

"Oh, really? You absolutely have to take me to lunch? And this question must be important for you to come all the way out here in person for you to ask," Rachel mocked the male in front of her as she turned back to the task of placing one of the hooks of the bungee rope in an open hole of the oversized horse shoe and stretched the rope to snag the other hook into the top of the wrap like cast that embraced the gelding's leg snugly.

"Yes very important and for your information I've been ordered by the Captain herself to make sure you go to lunch," Zack said haughtily trying very hard to keep his eyes from trailing to the nice view of Rachel's ass that stuck up in the air. Rachel threw a puzzled look over her shoulder to the raven haired man.

"Huh, didn't think she could order you around too since you are the General's second-in-command and not hers," the Captain's Sic commented thoughtfully.

"Neither did I but I wasn't about to risk a kunai up my dick for insubordination of questioning her authorities over other commanding Officer's second-in-commands. Plus I don't mind taking you to lunch the order just makes it seem more official and this way Seph can't drag me back up to my office to do more paperwork," Zack replied with a noncommittal shrug.

"True, coming from personal experience Sal can be pretty scary when she's pissed off enough. Let me finish my work up here and then we can go okay?" Rachel spoke straightening back up so she could deposit her hammer in a yellow metal tool box caked on with rust the tool box being situated on an ordinary stool.

"No, I don't mind at all," Zack said and watched lower the back leg to the floor and take the reins to lead the gelding around the sable halls to test out the shoe.

"Yeah, I think that should do it," Rachel said aloud to herself back in the work-focus mode despite the fact that Zack was present and still watching her work.

"What happened with him?" Zack tried to strike up a conversation.

"Well this gelding here has been trained to be a racing horse but I guess his Owner wanted a change of pace and so tried to turn him into a jumper. Bloody idiot tried to make the poor thing jump a seven foot wall on his first try! The horse of course didn't make it all the way and broke it's back right leg on the landing. The owner was furious at what he claims to be the horse's failure and the owner left it to fend for itself ever since. He was brought in about two weeks ago and you should have seen him Zack! Why when we had to help the gelding off the trailer we had to tranquilize the poor thing just so it wouldn't go into further hysterics when I tried to fly it off the trailer. Poor thing's been making steady but slow progress since then but at times it seems as if we get over one hill we find even more problems that are harder to deal with than the previous ones," the sigh Rachel let escape from her form was heavy matching the somber look painted on the female's face.

" Can't you use a cure materia on him?" Zack asked confused.

"Not on animals or for bones for that matter you have to let them heal naturally and a cure materia would just put even more stress on Bill's condition and mind," Rachel answered.

"Bill?"

"The horse's name?"

"Oh…"

Giggle.

"Okay, Bill let's get you back in your stall so you can have your lunch while I have mine," Rachel said to the gelding who looked all too eager in letting the tamer lead him to his stall so he could be placed in a support harness that hung from the top and kept Bill from putting too much weight on his leg and or prevent the gelding from falling should he throw his shoe while Rachel was away. Bill happily began munching on some hay while Rachel jogged down the hall to an office being occupied by the Chief of the stable hands for this barn and asked the male if he could keep an eye on Bill while she was out for lunch.

"You're going to lunch? On time? Phew, how'd you manage that?" the man jested in a teasing manner. Rachel rolled her eyes and huffed in response.

"See you later, Mike!" Rachel called to the chief before she ran back down to put away her tools and stool so no one tripped.

"Well, are you ready?" Rachel finally asked the SOLDIER.

"Dude, I've been ready since the moment I got here," was Zack reply.

"How did you get all the way out here by the way?"

"Sal gave me this scroll thingy that teleported me here."

"You inhaled some of the smoke didn't you?" Rachel giggled.

"Yes, how'd you know?"

"I had that same look on my face that you had just now when Sal had me teleport via the scroll for my first time. So I guess that means I'm flying to us to wherever lunch is then?" Rachel replied walking beside Zack as they left the stable barn.

"Um, can you lift me to do that?"

"Nah, these muscles I have are just for show," came Rachel's remark as she rolled her eyes and smirked.

"Smartass!"

"Why thank you! Now where's lunch?" Rachel inquired as she turned to face the raven male.

"The new restaurant in Sector 8 I heard is good. You want to try that place?" Zack offered.

"Sure, now are we riding on my back or what?" it was Rachel's turn again to inquire.

"Your back is good," Zack answered somewhat amused.

"Okay then grab hold so w can go," Rachel said impatiently turning around on the spot so Zack could, rather meekly, wrap his arms around the Tamer's neck and shoulders. Summoning her ki to her feet Rachel pushed off the ground to carve through the air grinning in amusement when Zack's loud whoop of joy blared into her ears over the wind.

"How fast or high can you go?" Zack asked the female he clung onto peeking down past a lock of Rachel's hair to glimpse the suddenly very far away ground below.

_"I can't even tell the ground from the people anymore!"_ Zack had the sudden thought and gulped.

"As high as I want and the amount of ki I use to buffer my feet determines how fast I can go," Rachel answered not even seeming to notice the extra weight of Zack _and_ his buster sword combined on her back. Zack barely had the time to blink before Rachel all of sudden pulled half a barrel roll and shot straight up like a falcon.

"Whoa!" Zack exclaimed having found himself clinging much harder to Rachel for dear life but nevertheless laughed as a rush of adrenaline coursed through his veins. Then without any forewarning Rachel shot to the ground in a free fall using no ki to buffer herself trailing her arms behind her.

"_Holy Shit!!!_" Zack shouted in surprise his death grip on Rachel becoming even more tighter if it were at all possible.

"Uh, Rachel? Don't you think you should level out now? The ground is getting awfully close," Zack suggested nervously when the buildings became more distinct and the appearance of ant like people milling around below became visible.

_"What the fuck? Is she trying to kill us or what?"_

"Okay, seriously Rach-stop! Slow down! Rach-RACH-RACHEL!!!" Zack shouted about to go out of his mind at the fact that he was so close to smashing his skull in to the point he could make out the eye color of the dog below them. Then with a laugh Rachel flipped so she faced the ground, pulled back her arms gathering some ki and then thrust it forward to let loose a ki blast at the ground slowing down their descent enough so that their feet just tapped the ground when they landed. Rachel smirked over her shoulder at the frozen Zack who stood stock still with his arms wrapped around the neck of the ki fighter in front of him. Rachel couldn't help but snort in laughter at the priceless look on Zack's face.

"Did you have fun?" Rachel asked the male taking the moment to unwrap Zack's arms from her neck so she could step away and hopefully prod the SOLDIER 1st into a bout of movement of his own instead of doing a very good impression of a statue trying to attract pigeons in the process.

"And you say _I'm_ horrible!" Zack grumbled in false irritation but nevertheless shouted in his mind, _"MAN THAT WAS FUCKING AWESOME!!!_"

"As if that wasn't the coolest experience you've ever been through," Rachel drawled rolling her eyes the nth time.

"Just for that you get to pay for lunch then," Zack replied a grin appearing on his face.

"Oh the horror!"

Rachel turned on her heel to start walking down the street.

"H-hey! Wait for me!"

"Then hurry up slow poke! I only get an hour lunch break ya know," Rachel teased.

"Aye, aye, cap'm," Zack retorted.

"Cool, I'm a captain," Rachel grinned teasingly.

"Dork," Zack laughed by then they had reached the restaurant and had waltzed right on in.

"Hey, cool, burgers!" Rachel chirped her eyes lighting up. After the orders were requested and paid for it was then the two were able to find a table in front of a side window to eat at.

"So what's this question I had to drag you all the way out here for you to ask?" Rachel teased in her prodding after she finished swallowing a bite of her food.

"Will you teach me how to fly?" Zack asked hopefully. Rachel's eyebrows rose at the unexpected question.

"…Why?" came Rachel's slow response almost as if she were weighing Zack's next response to decide her approval or disapproval.

"….Sorry? I don't understand what you are asking for," Zack replied confused.

"Why do you want to learn how to fly? Is it just that-to fly? Or is it to learn the ways of a Ki Fighter?" Rachel rephrased her question for clarity so the answer could be reciprocal. Zack quickly waved his hands to help clear the confusion.

"N-no nothing like that. I don't want to learn how to fight like a ki fighter I just want to be able to fly. I-once had a mentor named Angeal Hewley. He was a close friend…someone I looked up to. What many don't know is that an experiment granted Angeal just one pure white wing. Angeal believed the wing made himself a monster while I-I believed different. I believe that a wing like that makes someone a hero-the very reason why I joined SOLDIER. If I can't have a wing to be a hero alongside my dear friend Angeal then I thought…maybe ki can help me in the right direction," Zack's eyes Rachel could tell that although they looked at her they weren't really seeing her. They had gone to a place that the Tamer herself visited very often. Fond memories of past loved ones that made the person Rachel was today ghosted behind her own crystal blue orbs.

"….Ki…..isn't magic you know," Rachel started to say bringing her companion back to the present enough to make a frown tug at the edges of Zack's lips the light in his sapphire blue eyes turning down cast. The small smile on Rachel's face looked odd until she continued her answer, "But that doesn't mean it can't make miracles of its own. When do you want to start? I'll warn you the effort to even learn how to control your ki enough so you can fly will be hard and there's also the fact that I'm also teaching Cloud taijutsu in the morning and my other responsibilities."

"Other responsibilities?" The smile on Zack's face was short lived as it was replaced once again by another frown.

"You hunt monsters, train Cloud, take care of the horses and chocobos, and do whatever else Salira tells you to do, and yet you still have more responsibilities?" Zack questioned the Tamer. Rachel sighed in weariness and shook her head.

"My life is…..complicated Zack….it's best to leave that migraine alone," Rachel said before taking a mouthful of her burger and began chewing so she wouldn't have to answer any of the questions Zack may try to use to prod past her shell with. Zack took the hint and went back to square one.

"Hm, well how about after Cloud's training? We could do an hour's worth every day until I get it down," Zack suggested his hand cupping his chin. Rachel looked thoughtful as she worked the food in her mouth so she could swallow and respond.

"I don't have any objections to that," Rachel said with a shrug before getting up to collect their trash and throw it away.

"You need a ride back to headquarters or are you disappearing to avoid the paperwork for the rest of the day?" Rachel managed ask when she returned to the table before a ringing on her cell phone interrupted and made the brunette quickly dig in her back pocket to fish it out and answer.

"Welcome to Shinra King (A/N: Like Burger King?) how may I take your order?" Rachel greeted the person on the other line causing Zack to snort into his lap.

"Cousin It! How are you today?" Rachel chirped her eyes lighting up.

"Another one? Um, when does the bus leave?"

"Okay, well that kinda creates a problem for me. No, I'm sure I can rope Ted into taking care of Bill for me it's just that I sorta agreed to teach Zack how to fly. I can't very well do that I'm knee deep in monsters, Sal," Rachel said making Zack confused and yet curious.

"Are you insane!? First of all I'd have to get permission from Seph to do that and second of all what about Zack's other duties?" Rachel suddenly cried.

"Ugh, fine but I better get a vacation after this and I mean a proper one too!" Rachel groaned before snapping her phone shut in annoyance and turned to Zack.

"Change of plans, it seems another hunt has come up and you have the pleasure of tagging along. So grab your things and pack enough to last at least a month. I'll meet you in the parking lot," Rachel informed Zack who's eyes lit up in excitement.

"You mean like I get to go on a monster hunt? With you?-Sweet!!" Zack exclaimed before leaping from his chair to tackle the female in a hug.

"What the-!?" Rachel blurted when she all of a sudden found it somewhat hard to breathe due to the puppy getting a little too happy.

"This is going to be so cool I just know it!" Zack exclaimed and in his happiness and not really thinking about his actions proceeded to lift the brunette off the ground by the female's hips and swung poor Rachel around in a circle like a rag doll.

"Ack! Zack, What are you doing? Put me down this instant this isn't proper!" Rachel screeched in dismay using her hands to swat the male repeatedly on his shoulders. The gesture turned out to be effective enough to bring Zack out of his moment of joy in his head and halt in his twirl blinking in a stupor at the brunette he held out in the air with his hands who just glared in indignation at Zack with her arms crossed over her chest a nice spread of a blush dusting across her cheeks and nose.

"Uh, sorry, don't know what came over me," Zack hastily apologized immediately lowering Rachel so she was able to stand on her own two feet and Zack released his grip on her hips.

"How cute," one customer observed with her companion from a nearby table. Her friend nodded with an amused smile. Rachel had the decency to fake a grin as she hurriedly shoved and pushed the blabbering in embarrassment Zack out the door of the restaurant.

"And they say _I'm_ weird," Rachel muttered under her breath. After pushing the still red in the face Zack in the general direction of the Shinra Tower so he could pack and reminded the man where to meet, Rachel then used her ki to blast into the air so she could fly back to the stables and informed Mike of the hunt she had to go on and that he was in charge of the stables and Ted was to take care of Bill until Rachel returned.

"Why couldn't you have told me that _before_ you fired Amy? Do you know how long I've been waiting to do that? Psh, women these days get all the luck, I tell ya!" Mike grumbled returning back to his work.

"Become a transvestite then," was all Rachel suggested in response before departing so she could pack and check to make sure she had enough supplies for the hunt.

"Oh yeah, I need more rope too!" Rachel mumbled snapping her fingers as she recalled the condition of her last bit of frayed rope. After collecting all of her gear and supplies she then quickly ran up to her office to inform Felix of the hunt and if he and Maddie were ever to get hungry to go to Salira for food. Then Rachel ran up to the Captain's office to inform the female of her departure and let the raven kunoichi know of where Cloud's level of training was at, at the moment so Salira could pick the lesson back up tomorrow without a hitch and keep it going during the martial artist's absence.

"Have fun," Salira called to her best friend as Rachel left to ride back down the elevator to the level her apartment was on grabbed her things and gear and finally made her way to the parking garage.

"Finally! I've been waiting here for like half an hour!" Zack cried waving his arms when he spotted the female a black SOLDIER standard issued duffel bag stuffed with clothes and necessities at the male's feet.

"Calm down, pup. The monster isn't going to disappear off the face of the planet if we take another thirty minutes to get on the road," Rachel laughed using Zack's renowned nickname that made Zack pout. Rachel trotted over to Ralph to show him her clearance badge making Zack follow suit.

"You got enough bags?" Zack asked the female as he eyed the duffle bag plus all of the bags full of tracking and trapping gear.

"No," Ralph answered for the female knowing better than anyone else just how much gear Rachel required to face down the monsters of the unknown at some random part of the globe. Rach could only laugh amused as Zack shot Ralph a look that just screamed, _"What the hell?"_

"Monster hunting is a lot more different than the missions you are used to as a SOLDIER Zack. This one duffle bag here is just for clothes alone and these other three here are all full of supplies just for tracking the beast. The last four is trapping and then I have a convoy jeep always ready for future hunts full with camping and regular survival gear and non perishable rations and let's not forget about weapons to do defend myself with against other monsters. One thing on my hunts that I've learned is that one must always be prepared for anything and not just because of the random environments you'll suddenly find yourself in but also for unexpected surprises you'll encounter on the road like the jeep breaking down or the wires of a snapshot camera overloading," Rachel explained.

"Speaking of which, Ralph would it be alright if I grabbed an extra tank of gas or two supposedly this monster is sited to be in the Gongaga Area and I always seem to run out of gas before I even manage to make it halfway to the place," Rachel turned to the security guard to ask.

"Of course, go right ahead and take what you need," Ralph replied instantly.

"Thanks Ralph," Rachel said to the guard with a wave before she walked away and down a staircase to the lowest floor with Zack in toe.

"So why do you have two jeeps?" Zack asked curiously as he looked around. Zack had never been on this level before. Supposedly the parking garage was organized to coordinate with the level of power of whoever rented out a space to park the vehicles in their possession. The highest level was dedicated to the President of Shinra of course while the second highest was for SOLDIER missions and any vehicle they needed to take to get to their designated mission location. The middle was entirely civilian anyone could park there from Shinra employees to civilian visitors and the second lowest was Turk territory but the lowest level had always been a mystery to Zack. Apparently it was dedicated to the SHINOBI division as he read a sign above the entrance that read: "DO NOT ENTER: AREA RESTRICTED FOR **SHINOBI** PERSONNEL ONLY! CONESQUENCES WILL BE SEVERE!"

"One is for leisure purposes and the other is for missions and hunts, duh," Rachel said matter of factly as if this was common knowledge. Rachel then threw up a toggle that turned on the lights and Zack whistled in awe as he surveyed all of the high-tech and various forms of transportation Rachel and Salira had at their disposal to get from place to place. There was an impressive array of muscle cars from Comaro's to Mustangs to Chargers that spread into sleek limousines and Lexuses for daily use. There was even a state of the art Helicopter and Jet Airplane.

"-Hey cool who's sweet bike is that?" Zack gasped running up to a pair of motorcycles sitting side-by-side to view the left (A/N: "I can't describe vehicles worth crap so just think of Cloud's Fenrir but with blue, green and silver accents where there is metal for Rachel and a skeletal skull head of a western dragon etched in silver and white paint with blue and green flames licking its maw and eye sockets. While Salira's is all black even the metal and exhaust pipes with a fiery red phoenix in crimson and garnet red on the front.)

"Which one-the dragon or the phoenix?" Rachel asked as she walked past the male toward the back.

"Well both are cool but I like the Dragon one more so that one," Zack answered still observing the different angels on the dragon bike.

"Oh, that one is mine. I call him Ryuu," Rachel replied nonchalantly as she reached a hangar door about the size of one of the yellow, forked goal posts one saw at a football game and typed in a code on the security padlock to open said door.

"Him? You mean her right?" Zack tried to clear up the confusion he thought Rachel to have in her head as the male jogged over to the martial artist's side.

"No, I mean him. Why must vehicles always be referred as a female? I felt that there were too many female references for cars and motorcycles so I made mine a male," Rachel replied with a huff as she waited for the smoke billowing from the open doors to clear. Zack made an "Hm" noise when he saw that the hangar doors didn't reveal the outside but an add-on section to the garage that apparently contained Rachel's convoy jeep in all its camouflage green glory. Rachel waltzed over to the driver side and opened the door so she could pull the lever on the floor board that unlocked the trunk so the female could then dump her bags and gear in said trunk. Zack added his to the pile so Rachel could close the trunk and race to the driver's seat to she could climb in and lean over to unlock the passenger door so Zack wouldn't have to perform a redneck move by climbing in through the open window to join the Tamer.

"Oh yeah, the gas!" Rachel piped when she remembered what she was about to leave behind and climbed back out the jeep to run around the front of the jeep to the side wall that turned out to be a garage door of which Rachel pulled up to reveal a compartment full of gasoline tanks. Rachel grabbed two in each hand and jogged back to the rear of the passenger side and used the tire as a stool to hoist herself up and stick the two tanks of gas through the bars of the trunk and set the tanks down on the bed of the trunk repeating the action with her left hand before retreating back to the compartment to grab four more before closing the door back down and dumped the last four tanks in the trunk with the others so she could race back around to rejoin Zack inside the jeep and start the vehicle up.

"Now we're ready to roll!" Rachel said aloud with a grin driving out of the hangar and through the main garage to zoom up the ramp leading to the main floor so Rachel could stop by her other jeep and retrieve her music from the dashboard. Then it was only a matter of exiting the parking garage and leaving Midgar to make their way to Junon for the ferry.

"So what kind of monster are we hunting?" Zack asked curiously.

"We don't know that's the whole point of the hunt. See my job is to report to the area the attacks are being claimed to take place then I have to set traps and tracking devices throughout the whole area, once that's done if there are any witnesses around I interview them and then spend several days looking for any sign of the beast. Hopefully this bugger isn't a flier because this hunt will be more of a pain if it is. Fliers don't leave as much evidence to track and when they do it's typically several days old," Rachel construed turning down the radio so the two could talk better.

"And where was the monster sighted at?" Zack fired another question apparently having forgotten the location from the conversation in the restaurant earlier.

"The Gongaga Area. Cloud says you're from Gongaga right?" Rachel answered with a question of her own.

"Yeah, I am."

"This will be a fun experience then," Rachel commented in her own amused fashion.

"Yeah I get to see my folks!" Zack exclaimed happily.

"Your parents right?" Rachel prodded suddenly curious.

"Yeah, man I miss them so much. I can't wait to see the look on mom's face when they see me on their front door step," Zack replied light heartedly with a small smile.

"It must be nice…to have a mom and dad supporting you in your dream to join SOLDIER and become a hero," Rachel suddenly uttered soberly as she stared out the windshield. Zack glanced at the form of the tamer beside him a frown of confusion etched on his face.

"You don't have any….?" Zack trailed off quickly feeling guilty when the sober light in Rachel's crystal blue hues faded to an inner sadness that told of the painful past that Rachel endured in her younger days.

"Biologically? No I don't have a mom and dad that I once shared the same blood with moreover have no pride of knowing. Supposedly from what some people have told me my mom fell in love with my dad but I guess my dad felt differently as he vanished without a trace the day after he'd gotten my mom pregnant. I guess I'm what you'd call a bastard child for the two had never married despite the fact that no one actually liked my dad. My memories with my mother were too few for me to actually remember what she looked like before she died from an attack on the village we lived in. My mom sacrificed her life for me in order to make sure I escaped the village alive. I was found later by the family I so dearly remember and created such fond memories with to my happiness. My foster mom-her name was Missy and my foster dad-Ken. I also had a foster brother named Shawn who I looked up to admirably. They made me feel so much a part of their family that I didn't care that our blood was different. To me they were my family and the precious people I would give my whole life to protect. A dream that I never ever wanted to let go and fall from," Rachel spoke a bittersweet expression painted on her features.

"…..I'm sorry," Zack said sincerely and he truly meant it as he could tell just by looking at Rachel's face that retelling the hardships of her past wasn't an easy experience. But something wasn't right to Zack as he didn't miss Rachel's use of past tense with her family suggesting that Rachel had lost more than one loved one in her life. Rachel shook her head as if trying to shed away the weight of memory lane that hovered over shoulders like a wool blanket.

_**"What am I doing?"**_

"Forget it here I know a good way for you to start learning how to fly," Rachel said in an attempt to change the subject. Zack picked up on it like lightning.

"Really? How?"

"Meditating. The first thing you need to do in order to fly is to find your ki and bond with it. It requires deep meditation and this is the perfect opportunity for you to do that," Rachel explained.

"Bond? What do you mean bond? Aren't we already connected considering it's technically my spirit I'm drawing my energy from?" Zack frowned in more confusion. Rachel shook her head in the negative.

"No, you may _know_ that you have a spirit but that doesn't mean you are _**aware**_ or in tune with it. When you are in tune with the energy of your spirit you are in tune with everyone else's as souls are connected subconsciously. It's why we have those sayings of "Karma" and soul mates. It's the very foundation of things like fate otherwise their wouldn't be such a thing as paranormal activity or two everyday spirits bumping into each other finding that they are indeed kindred and falling in love the next day hence the words soul mate. A bond shared between two souls that can never be broken even in death. Right now you are only aware of the world based on your five senses right? You know I'm talking to you because you can hear me with your ears, you see me moving my moving my lips to make words catching each movement with your eyes. You can feel the breath from my lips as I speak on your skin and if you were to extend your hand you be able to feel my mouth move up and down as I talk," Rachel lectured in detail with such wisdom that Zack found his attention solely centered on the female in anticipation.

_"And to think she's just barely into her twenties-like me and knows so much about the ways of ki. It makes you wonder how Rachel came to learn how fight with her ki and why she chose this path,"_ Zack mused.

"Right," he said trying to keep the conversation going.

"But, you can also consider your spirit as a sixth sense. Once you awaken your spirit therefore becoming in tune with it you should be able to sense every living life force around you anywhere yet everywhere, anyone and everyone on the planet from your mom to a strangers pet goldfish. It's a wonderful experience for someone bonding with their spirit for their first time," Rachel expounded excitedly.

_"Ugh, sitting still was never my strong point. Hell I can barely keep myself from tapping my foot and I've only been in the freakin' jeep for fifteen minutes!"_ Zack groaned in his head. Rachel seemed to know what Zack was thinking because she unexpectedly pulled off the road and pulled to a stop turning the key in the ignition to let the engine die down.

"Here, I'll show you what I mean," Rachel said trying to clarify the situation as to why the drive to Junon just turned into a scenic detour to Zack when the martial artist turned around to catch the puzzled expression on Zack's face that if possible became even more confused when Rachel held out an upturned hand to the man.

"Give me your hand, idiot!" Rachel sighed rolling her eyes.

"Oh well all you had to do was say something."

"I thought it was pretty much obvious I mean I'm not exactly begging for Gil here or anything," Rachel teased and dodged a swipe from the pup.

"Oh hush you!"

Nevertheless Zack surrendered his hand to Rachel's soft yet steady grip.

"Now close your eyes and breathe in, count for ten seconds then release your breath and repeat until you feel an inner calm. You'll feel a slight tugging but don't reject it. It's my spirit connecting with yours," Rachel construed. Zack felt weirded out doing something as odd as this especially out in the open where monsters could attack from anywhere at any given time yet complied to Rachel's request by closing his eyes and attempted to follow the female's instructions.

Inhale…..1…..2…..3…..4…..5…..6…..7…..8…..9……10 okay exhale. Inhale again 1…..2…..3…..4…..5…..6…..7…..8…..9-

'_Damn this is boring! Oh wait, focus!'_

- Exhale again and inhale 1…..2…..3…..4…..5…..6-

_'You know gripping Rachel's hand like this is actually nice."_ …7…..8…..9…..1-

_'Huh? What's that? Something feels like its tugging at me-wait a tug? Didn't Rachel say not to refuse it-okay here goes nothing.'_

The tugging got more persistent more firmly while Zack did his best to accept the tugging. Then a final firm tug opened up his eyes and Zack felt like he'd stepped into a parallel universe. Zack didn't know if he'd actually opened his eyes but he rationalized he must have because of the images flashing before his eyes. Everything was bathed in a golden yellow light like he'd just woken up from a nap under the sun that still hung above the horizon. Everywhere Zack looked from the glowing shape of Rachel before him to the ground below the jeep seemed to be teeming with life and seemed so full of activity. Then before Zack could utter a sound the connection between his spirit and Rachel's broke and everything went dark like someone had turned a switch off and Zack found out this his eyes were in fact closed this whole time. It was then Zack felt empty like the long lost dog he'd just found had been taken away from him once again.

"What _was_ **that!**" Zack breathed abruptly feeling out of breath as if he'd just ran five miles straight with no breaks in between.

"That was you becoming in tune with your spirit and my spirit connecting with yours," Rachel answered with a knowing look.

"That was incredible I've never even thought of something like that could be possible!" Zack emitted with a laugh.

"I know when my sensei first showed me the world of Ki I felt the same way," Rachel said starting the jeep back up so she could pull back onto the road continuing the duo's trek to Junon.

"Who was your sensei?" Zack questioned curiously eager to know more about the female.

"Dān Shēng…..He was very special to me. When all of the ki fighters caught word that I supported chakra users I guess you could say things got ugly from then on. I was labeled as a traitor and given the status of K.O.S. or Kill-on-Sight. Naturally I had to flee and it was Dān Shēng-sensei who had the heart to take me in and care for me. It was he who taught me the true arts of ki and martial arts. I owe a lot to him," Rachel uttered the light of memory lane returning to her crystal blue hues. Zack had nothing to say to this as he internally mulled this over.

_"Man that's rough. To have to up and leave from your family because of your beliefs and as an orphan no less. Another home and family to be lost and left behind. To be left alone and forgotten once again. How does she go on? I don't think I could."_

Zack took this opportunity to observe Rachel out of the corner of his eye watching the somber look ghosting over the chestnut haired female's features. The bittersweet smile tugging at those wise lips the slightly saddened but grateful glint swimming in those ghostly pale orbs with their eyelashes slightly squinting against the glare of the sun. The hands calloused from hard labor and long years of martial arts gripped the leather of the steering wheel to guide the jeep to its intended destination. Zack breathed slowly as if he was afraid of breaking the somewhat peaceful silence being shared between him and Rachel.

_"So beautiful…..just how long have you been left alone and forgotten forced to be independent and learn skills for your own survival so that you may live on your own two feet at the far too tender age of your childhood, Rachel? Is there anybody that's __**not**__ some type of animal to greet you when you return home? Is there any chance of me being that person?"_

"So are you ready to try on your own?"

"Huh?" Zack frowned in confusion he blinked to find the current subject of his thoughts switching glances between him and the road.

"You know to meditate!? Are you ready to try it on your own?" Rachel rephrased her question for clarity.

"Oh, yeah, uh sure," Zack answered so with that the rest of the ride to Junon was spent in a comfortable silence with Zack meditating searching for his spirit and Rachel listened to music occasionally having to throw a ki blast to ward off way too curious monsters.

"Get outta here!" Rachel called to a monster flying above them using a hand to send a ki blast careening toward the avion that squawked when the ball of energy clipped a wing. About four hours later with very little progress made on Zack's part the duo had finally arrived in Junon only to end up waiting for the arrival of the ferry so Rachel could load the jeep onto the to the ocean crossing vessel. Rachel checked her watch.

"Well we have about another hour and a half at most to kill for the next ferry supposedly. You want to grab a bite to eat in the mean time?" Rachel asked the SOLDIER 1st who looked about ready to snap.

"H-hey what's with the deal with the long face?" Rachel cried leaning closer to get a glimpse of Zack's facial features.

"It's this damn bonding thing I'm not making any progress!" Zack growled annoyed already.

"Well you've only been meditating for less than half a day for crying out loud. That's normal hell it took me a week straight of nothing BUT meditation just to find my spirit let alone bond with it. These things take time, Zack. Trust me you'll get there," Rachel tried her best to reassure the raven haired man who glanced at her.

"Really? A week is how long it took you?" he asked the female hopefully.

"Mmmhmm," Rachel made an affirming noise while shaking her head up and down. Zack smirked in amusement causing Rachel to quirk an eyebrow in puzzlement.

"What's that look for?" the chestnut haired martial artist asked the raven SOLDIER.

"A week, eh? Then I'm going to bond with my spirit in less than that!" Zack abruptly exclaimed in confidence. Rachel couldn't help but laugh in merriment.

"Oh really? You're going to break my record of bonding with my spirit in less than a week?" Rachel jeered at the SOLDIER 1st.

"Yup and I'll make a bet with you-if I fail to bond with my spirit in less than a week then I'll do whatever you want me to do for one week. If I do succeed though then I get whatever I ask of you if could be anything but it will only be one request I can make," Zack offered cockily.

"Is that so?" Rachel humored the male by saying with a smirk of her own and continued, "I'll take that bet, then!"

"Then shake on it."

Rachel clasped the black gloved hand of Zack's with her brown one and shook hands with the 1st class.

"No going back on it."

"Well duh! Now let's go eat! I'm starving!"

"Well hello Starving, I'm Zack."

"Oh shut up I'm the smartass here!"

Snigger.

After dinner was consumed the ferry had finally decided to show up letting Rachel drive the jeep onto the boat after she paid for the fee and things finally got moving again. Out in the open sea with nothing better to do Zack found this the perfect opportunity to find a nice, quiet spot not too far away that Rachel could still be able to observe from her spot in the jeep and the 1st class resumed his meditation now having the motivation to bond with his spirit while Rachel went through all of her gear tuning up any of the cameras and trapping gear so they would be ready for deployment for the hunt as soon as Rachel arrived on the scene.

"Damn, another wire blew!" Rachel muttered under her breath as she tested out Camera B-2. Climbing to the back, Rachel started rummaging around the trunk and its compartments for another toolbox the female owned out of the millions of other toolboxes she possessed.

"Ow!" Rachel whined abruptly when she accidently stubbed her left thumb against the hard surface of a crate. Sticking the abused thumb in her mouth, the Tamer used her right hand to continue searching through the rest of the compartments looking for the darned thing.

"Where the hell did I put it? I know it's in here somewhere," Rachel yanked out her thumb to say.

"Watcha huntin' for?" came the voice of Zack peeking in through the rear open window to figure out why Rachel had suddenly ended up in her trunk tearing it apart. Rachel was beginning to think her jumps around Zack were going to become a regular occurrence as she clutched her chest and glared at the raven male in annoyance.

"Will you _stop_ **that**?" she hissed at the amused Zack.

"Shouldn't you be used to this kind of thing by now?"

"Shut up."

Zack laughed at the peeved Tamer.

"No, seriously I could hear that yelp all the way from where I was sitting. What are you throwing everything out of your trunk for?" Zack prodded.

"It was **not** a yelp and I'm looking for a big red toolbox so I can fix one of my cameras. I know I packed it in here somewhere I just can't remember," Rachel explained resuming her search by lifting the lid of a compartment only to slam it back down in a huff when the compartment only contained camping gear.

"Is that it in the floor board behind the passenger seat?" Zack tried to help pointing at something behind Rachel. The martial artist huffed once again when she saw that it was indeed the toolbox giving her so much trouble.

"Yes it is, thanks Zack," Rachel responded crawling back over the back seats to pick said toolbox up.

"No problem," Zack shrugged climbing in to join the brunette who had settled back in her seat in the driver's with her legs spread out on the passenger seat next to her. Picking up the camera laid on the dashboard and replacing the empty space with the toolbox Rachel set about repairing the camera while Zack chose to move aside the other equipment waiting to be inspected scattered around on the back seat so that the raven SOLDIER could sit behind Rachel and lean on the headrest to have the ability to observe Rachel's tinkering and meddling with the wires of the camera.

"Don't you have some spirit bonding to work on?" Rachel queried not looking up from using her wire strippers to cut away the skin of the wire to reveal the hair like copper wires underneath so the Tamer could use her Solder iron to weld the wire to connect it with its intended place for the camera to work.

"What I'm not allowed to take breaks?" Zack deadpanned trying to cover up his urge of just wanting to watch the female perform her work. He couldn't help but admire the way the light of the fading sun shone through the right angle of Rachel's crystal blue orbs making them cast off a ghostly-pale white the emerald green of the mako surrounding her pupils becoming more vibrant that Zack couldn't but think he was looking at both the sky and the ground at the same time. The soft glow of Rachel's features even as she worked diligently to make sure her equipment was in top condition blended perfectly with the light of the sun splayed across her cheeks and into her hair the bangs of which seemed to irritate the martial artist to the point she used a hand to brush them back behind her ears.

_"So beautiful,"_ Zack must have spoken his thoughts aloud because Rachel brought her head up from her work to give Zack an odd look.

"Sorry?" Rachel said bringing Zack out of his musings enough so that he could realize his mistake.

"Uhhh….what I mean is that is SO beautiful how you managed to repair your camera. What did you learn how to do that in Welding Class 101?" Zack quickly used a cover up bending the tone of his voice into a teasing one. Rachel obviously didn't buy it but nevertheless found the jib too pathetic to waste words on due to settling for the simple action of rolling her eyes and snorting through her nose. Casting Zack one last odd look, the brunette returned to the camera in her hands to give it a test run becoming satisfied once the camera's performance reached her approval and the female set the camera aside only to reach back to the pile of other waiting cameras beside Zack to pluck one so it could be examined next.

"So how did you come up with your taijutsu style the Butoukai no Arashi anyway?" Zack asked out of the blue.

"Why do you want to know?" Rachel shot back glancing up at the SOLDIER through the corners of her eyes. Zack gave a noncommittal shrug.

"Just curious."

"Haven't you ever heard of the saying 'Curiosity killed the cat?'?" Rachel teased approving of the performance of the camera in her hands so she let it join Camera B-2 and snatched a third camera.

"Yeah but I'm not a cat now am I? Considering you yourself have been calling me 'pup' and only Angeal would call me that," Zack pointed out making Rachel chuckle.

"I happen to have a natural affinity with lightning magic enough so that I don't require any lightning materia to cast the spell. After my training under Dān Shēng-sensei's instruction of the way of martial arts had progressed to the point where I knew enough to star creating a style of my own the village I resided in was located in a country that was in the middle of a war. A war that I knew I would soon join considering I was the pupil of one of the most renowned martial artists in the world. I knew there would be many enemies on the battlefield seeking to end my life. Enemies that at one point would be multiple men to engage all at one time occurring many times. So I thought I should create a taijutsu style designed to be able to fight multiple enemies in a situation that most likely I would only have myself to rely on. I knew speed would be an important asset as well as stamina to be able to carry out the desired speed for large amounts of time but I also didn't want to chalk everything up to just speed and stamina when my greatest assets at the time were my strength and agility so I knew I had to incorporate those into the style as well. Then Dān Shēng-sensei suggested I create a style that includes my lightning magic using it to enhance my strength and speed. When I finally stumbled upon a system it was only a matter of time until I created a whole new branch of taijutsu that requires the user to have the ability to use both lightning and ki very fluently. When I used the style against our adversaries on the battlefield rumors spread that I looked like a lightning bolt that dances on the earth. Dān Shēng-sensei even agreed so I named my style from then on the Butoukai no Arashi in honor and memory of sensei," Rachel went quiet after this last statement and Zack could tell he wasn't going to get anything else out of the martial artist as far as talking about Rachel's past is concerned so the SOLDIER settled for one last jibe before settling down in the back seat to resume his meditation.

"Dancer of lightning, eh?"

* * *

M.K.-"And that's the end of Chapter 8."

Rachel- "Read and Review peoples!"


	9. The Way of a Ki Fighter: Think Happy Th

M.K.-"Sorry for the long wait, guys been busy with college, work, and family life. Anywho chapter 9 is up."

Sephiroth-"M.K. does not own Final Fantasy VII or Naruto, if she did she would be a multibillionaire."

* * *

**Chapter 8:**** "The Way of a Ki Fighter: Think Happy Thoughts, No wait that's not it either-Damn!"**

_"Dammit! This isn't working!!"_

Sweat dotted Zack's brow as he sat on top of the hood of the convoy jeep cross-legged, his eyes closed in deep meditation. Rachel and Zack had reached the Gongaga area by the end of the third day of nonstop traveling and Zack was ecstatic to see his family after not being able to do so for such a long time not since before he joined up to be a SOLDIER for Shinra.

"Oh, my baby Zack has returned! Honey, oh honey come quick!" Zack's mom glowed with happiness when she opened her front door to see her son standing there with a goofy smile. Rachel had used the time Zack was out catching up with his parents by setting up the cameras and placing traps in various places from coast to coast all the way up to about halfway to North Corel just in case the monster was nomadic. When the Tamer had returned back to the campsite her head a birds nest with sticks and leaves sticking out in various directions from climbing in trees and ducking under the brush getting dirt all over in the process, she found herself surprised to see Zack and his parents sitting around a campfire Zack had produced the three just talking the time away.

"Ah, Rach there you are! I was beginning to get worried. When I told Mom and Dad how I had gotten here because of your hunt, they got curious about you and when I explained how you were the Tamer who tracks down monsters and is teaching me to fly they insisted on meeting you," Zack explained to the dumbfounded martial artist.

_(A/N: "Okay, I can not find anywhere the names of Zack's parents so I'm just going to make them up if anyone has any problems then you'll just have to put up with it.")_

"Hi, I'm Catherine Fair-Zack's mom. You know you've got the most beautiful eyes I've ever seen," the mother now known as Catherine had greeted the same sapphire blue eyes and charisma that Zack was granted clearly showing who was the benefactor in that department.

"Hello and uh thank you?" Rachel timidly responded shaking Catherine's hand clearly display that she wasn't used to greeting other people's parents but nevertheless used the best manner she possessed.

"Oh, Zack she's so charming!" Catherine laughed to her son.

"Hush, Cathy you're making it seem as if they were a couple! Sorry about that, I'm Matthew but call me Matt," the father said zealously with the same ebony locks and masculine features that Zack had acquired.

"Haha, it's no problem. Zack may have already told but I'm Rachel Storm. It's a pleasure to meet you both," Rachel voiced her own thoughts secretly laughing at Zack's blush that seemed to have appeared on his cheeks.

"Zackary, why are you blushing?" Cathy prodded her son who looked like he'd eat his own tongue before he explained his sudden embarrassment.

"It's Zack!" Zack grumbled barely audible.

"Haha, dear leave the poor boy alone," Cathy's lover chided the woman.

_"They make a good family and poor Zack he looks so cute with that blush of his!....Ugh, I have GOT to stop doing that!"_ Rachel mentally groaned.

"Well, I don't want to intrude on your time together so I'll just grab my binoculars and disappear," Rachel piped up making toward the jeep.

"Oh, nonsense. Don't let us scare you off, come sit with us!" Catherine spoke up quickly rushing over to the brunette to tug the female over to the fire forcing, Rachel to emit a surprised yelp when she was shoved to sit down on the log next to Zack with Catherine taking her seat next to Matt.

"Yeah I'm quite curious as to what you do as apart of SHINRA," Matt commented.

"Wah, oh uh okay," Rachel uttered while quickly thinking to herself, _"What have I gotten myself into now?"_

"So, I'm curious, what exactly do you do as a Tamer?" Catherine asked cupping her chin in her hands as she leaned forward excitedly.

"Uh, well I hunt monsters actually. If there is a new species or unknown type of monster reeking havoc in some random part of the Planet, a report is sent into Shinra who then sends me out to capture the monster. Once I capture the monster it is then sent back to Shinra headquarters for the science department so they can examine monster, find out what type of monster it is and what its name would be and its abilities so they in turn can warn the SOLDIERS and Turks of this new monster that could be found in these areas. That way they know what monsters to beware of when they are deployed to the various areas of the globe in their missions," Rachel construed simply.

"You…..hunt those monsters? Aren't you afraid of getting hurt?" Catherine gasped in shock. Rachel weighed her words before she spoke them.

"Not so much afraid really because whether this may sound prude or not, I actually like to fight. I don't know why specifically, it's just in my instincts and blood I guess. Even more I love fighting if its for a good cause because if you think about you as a villager of Gongaga wouldn't be able to live in such hostile conditions if it weren't for your knowledge of what type of monsters that live out here and what weakness they have that you can exploit to your advantage if it weren't for the fact that I captured them giving you guys a chance at living as safely as possible within a jungle like this. That's what I do and why I chose to do it. So innocent people can have a chance at the joys and the fruits that make up their lives for as long as possible. The life may not be to our liking but at least you have a chance at shaping it your liking to the best you can that fits your ideals," Rachel elucidated with a small smile.

"Wow and you've been a Tamer for how long? Are you the only one that does this?" Cathy rapid fired the curiosity and awe in her eye growing. Rachel scratched the back of her head while looking up in thought.

"Well lets see…I became a tamer when I was I think 11 years old give or take, my memory is a little foggy and I'm 21 now so that would be-wow 10 years I've been a Tamer. Man hard to believe it's been that long and as far as to my knowledge I'm the only one that performs this job unless the President has been holding out on me," Rachel revealed making all three of her companions gasp in turn.

"_**11**_ years old? Why you were only a child! How can Shinra even think to send a child to do something so horrid!?" Cathy screeched behind her hands which had been clasped over her mouth in horror. Zack didn't which he felt more disturbed about, the cruel carelessness of Shinra's treatment of their employees or the way he watched how Rachel just simply lifted her shoulders in a lighthearted shrug as if this didn't affect her at all negatively.

"Well at the time, I had long since been introduced to the concept of living on my own and at the time the threat of being forced to live out on the streets for kami-knows-how-long and no access to food came bitterly down on my shoulders. I didn't know how I was going to survive or what to do next and it was my best friend Salira Drystilia, the current Captain of the SHINOBI division in Shinra who showed me a way out. The way I saw it, it was either digging threw trash cans and fighting against other hobos for a place to sleep out on the streets letting myself rot to death or risk my life for others by rolling in the dirt fighting against monsters that could be more often than not be the size of a house. I had to take the job," Rachel divulged simply.

"Wow…." Was all Catherine could say in astonishment while Zack shook his head speechless.

"And you took the job with no real clue about what you were about to get involved with?" Matt asked a question of his own, his eyes focused solely on the chestnut haired martial artist.

"Well, Sal had given me the heads up, like two weeks before hand but if it weren't for her, then I wouldn't have had a clue when Shinra threw me out to Wutai for my first hunt," Rachel responded.

"What monster did you have to hunt?" Zack queried.

"An Eyetal." _(A/N: "Pronounced Eh-Tel my monster idea no copying!!")_

"A what now?"

"An Eyetal. It's a monster found only in the deepest parts of Wutai so I'm not surprised you haven't heard of it. An Eyetal is basically a giant ball about a third of the size of the sun made up of entirely of metal with tentacles sticking out everywhere that are equipped with three-pronged claws ten times the length of General Sephiroth's masamune. There are so many tentacles that if you saw it for the first time you would think it was just a ball of moving tentacles. The only way to kill the thing is for a very, very agile and quick person, mind you, to weave in and out all of the tentacles to the center to find the one eye that doesn't move and stab it with something sharp while barbequing it with either lightning or fire, preferably lightning though. You must be careful though because there are about a billion eyes to pick from and if you stab the wrong one the side affects could be disastrous. It all depends on the color which range from blue, green, yellow, red, black, purple, white and grey. The eye that is stationary will always be purple but that doesn't mean it's the only purple eye so be careful because if you stab the wrong one the Eyetal immediately self-detonates with the explosion consisting of about 5 kilotons-basically an explosion that could take out all of Midgar and three times more. All of the other different colored eyes will cast something at you if you try to stab it or if they see you. Blue will cast a Blizzaga spell on you, Red-Fury and Firaga, Yellow is Stop, Green is poison, Black-blind, White is slow, and Grey is petrify and you can't just go up to it and start hacking and slashing at it because it's made up of the strongest metal alloy out there, Titanium. If Zack were to do that with his Buster sword he would maybe put a dent in it but more likely he'll break his sword first before that happens," Rachel elucidated in detail.

After several more hours of more conversations with Matt and Catherine, Rachel felt it'd be a good time to excuse herself so she could continue her hunt plus she could tell the two were getting a little anxious about getting back home when they saw how close to the horizon the sun was.

"Don't be a stranger, son come have dinner with us tomorrow and Rachel you're more than welcome join us, too," Catherine bid them.

"That's very kind of you ma'am," Rachel responded helping Zack escort his parents back to the village gates safely.

"They were nice," Rachel commented to the SOLDIER as the duo walked back to the campsite.

"Yeah they're great."

"Wish you would've warned me beforehand though-I look like Jane from Tarzan!"

Zack laughed.

Now Rachel is currently trekking through the jungle surrounding Gongaga looking for any abnormal signs that suggested an unknown monster had been in the area. After about an hour of fruitless searching the Tamer tried a new approach and made her way to the village, to interview some of the villagers to see if they had anything to inform her and it was there Rachel stumbled upon her first clue.

"Rachel, to what do we owe this surprising visit?" Matt piped up when on his break from chopping firewood, saw the brunette strolling in through the village gates. Setting down the axe in his possession the man made his way over to the martial artist.

"Actually, I'm here to interview any of the villagers if they've seen any unusual monster activity lately," Rachel answered looking around the village. Matt looked thoughtful as he wracked his brain.

"Well, I remember one of the villagers complaining of a lot of monster attacks. Alec, I believe is his name maybe he knows something-do you want me to take you to him?" Zack's father suggested.

"If you would please, that would be great," Rachel encouraged falling instep with Mr. Fair.

"So if you're here, where's Zack?" Matt inquired curiously.

"Oh, he's back at the campsite meditating. I gave him a walkie so we can keep in touch," Rachel explained to ease parental worries.

"Ah right, the flying slash bet thing, right?"

"That'd be the one."

"I wish you the best of luck then. Even when he was child, Zack was always so stubborn and determined about even the smallest of things. One time I had to dive after the idiot because the water droplets from the waterfall near here gave off a rainbow in the sun and Zack was so sure there was a pot of gold below the waterfall that he literally jumped off the seven foot cliff to get that gold. Cathy was so furious by the end of the whole ordeal she grounded Zack for two months," Matt said with a wry grin.

"Are you serious? Was he hurt at all?" Rachel gasped in shock.

"Actually, all he managed to escape with was a small cut on the forehead from he hit his head on the rocks below but that was it," Matt answered hiding an amused smile at Rachel's concern for his son.

_"She'll be good for him,"_ the man mused.

"So I take it he won't stop meditating unless it involves being force fed or something to that extent, am I correct?" Rachel deadpanned her mind shifting to wondering what it was that Zack could possibly ask of her in the hopes of being prepared.

"Yes, he will though he's always excited about new adventures so maybe you could sidetrack him enough by inviting Zack into town for the interviews?" Matt tried to help causing Rachel to raise an eyebrow.

"Selling out your own son?"

"Zack needs his ego taken down a few notches," Matt simply stated with a smirk making Rachel laugh.

"Alright, but when he finds out it's your idea," Rachel said reaching for her walkie.

"Hey, Zack?" she called into the walkie and there was a pause before Zack's voice radioed through sounding irritated yet curious.

"Yeah?"

"How's the meditation coming along?" Rachel teased.

_"Kiss my ass!"_ came Zack's curt reply.

"Why I oughta…" Matt growled angrily before snatching the walkie out of Rachel's hand to her bewilderment.

"That ain't no way to talk to a lady, brat!" Matt snapped into the walkie.

"Whoa, pops! What are you doing with Rachel?" came the surprised and shocked voice of Zack.

"That doesn't matter right now-what matters is that you need to apologize to this young lady for your remark boy! Or so help me, I'll come all the way down there bend you over my lap and then we'll see who's going to be kissing who's ass you hear me boy? I know we raised you better than that!" Matt growled back and Rachel, although amused at the image in her head of Zack getting spankings quickly interjected to help defuse the situation.

"Mr. Fair, really it's not that big of a deal! I know Zack was just joking and if he wasn't he has every right to do so. Coming from personal experience, spirit bonding can be quite frustrating and my jibe at Zack just made Zack a little more annoyed that's all," Rachel quickly tried to say not knowing Matt's fingers were still pressing the speaker button allowing Zack to hear her defending him. Matt waved his free hand at the brunette to stop her words.

"That still doesn't mean that he can just be so rude to you!" Matt said to the Tamer.

"He's right, Rach," came Zack's jumble voice surprising the female and the SOLDIER 1st continued, "I was way out of line with that one and I apologize."

"Uh….apology accepted?" Rachel said hesitantly even though she felt that the apology wasn't needed.

"What was it that you needed by the way? I know you didn't page me just for a tease," Zack prodded sounding curious. This was where Rachel gained back the control over her walkie so she could answer.

"Actually, I was calling to see if you'd like to join me in Gongaga. I'm getting ready to interview a villager of what he knows about the monster, your dad happens to know the guy so he's kindly agreed to show me the way to the villager's quarters."

"Uh, sure but you'll need to come get me I'm kinda surrounded by cliffs here because you felt the need to move the campsite," Zack said meekly.

"Oh, that's right, eugh sorry Zack I completely forgot. Um wait there and I'll be there in a jiffy," Rachel radioed back this time it being her turn to sound apologetic.

"Can you wait here for a minute, Mr. Fair?" Rachel turned to the man next to her to ask.

"One, stop calling me that! I'm already old do you have to remind me about it? Matt is all you need to call me. Two, yes I can wait here," Matt sounded annoyed as he spoke.

"Ehm, sorry Matt. Just wait here, I'll be right back," Rachel once more apologized before blasting off in the air to go retrieve Zack. Ten minutes later found Rachel with Zack in toe rejoining Matt so they could finish making their way over to the residence of Alec.

"I'll leave you to knock Rachel, he's kind of a loon, Alec," Matt said to the Tamer who shot the man a look.

"Oh, well gee thanks," Rachel deadpanned leaving Zack to snigger at the martial artist's misfortune.

"Oh shut it you!" Rachel snapped at the male who simply grinned back at her. With a huff Rachel whirled around to face the front door getting ready to knock when she jumped in fright when the Tamer discovered that the door to Alec's home had disappeared only to be replaced with beady brown eyes that blared at her like an angry owl that had been rudely woken from its nap.

"Oh, um hi?" the Tamer tried to greet the man.

"Are you an alien?" came the low yet suspicious reply that made Rachel do a double take giving the man an odd look.

"Um, the last time I checked I'm sure I wasn't," Rachel replied having found herself leaning back away when the Tamer discovered the man had invaded her personal space just a tad too much peering into her face and eyes.

"They're freaks I tell ya! That sickly blue skin and large unusual colored eyes! As unusual as yours this leads me to believe that you are one! Thos white eyes with the pale green ring around the pupil. What are those contacts? You're an alien I JUST KNOW IT!!!" the man suddenly boomed scaring the poor girl enough to make her jump and stumble backwards almost tripping over Zack's feet. Zack frowned at the oddness of the situation.

"N-no I am not an alien! I don't wear contacts you idiot and its called mako dumbass! I'm with Shinra-the Tamer? I was made aware that there was unknown monster activity around here and you had supposedly seen it!" Rachel hissed suddenly feeling flustered and yet annoyed.

_"Don't blame her; he sounds like he had one too many run-ins with a chocobo on high," _Zack mused narrowing his eyes as he observed Alec's facial expression turn from suspicious and wary to a relieved and happiness one in less then two seconds.

_"Maybe he's bipolar? That would sorta explain the alien obsession. Really? Blue Skin? I was under the impression they had green skin from all of the times I watched that E.T. movie,"_ Zack held back the snort of amusement at his musings the effort being hard enough hat he had to hide his grin behind the hand that was made to look like he was scratching an itch on the tip of his nose. The gesture caught Matt's attention making him turn his head to glance at his son with wonderment that turned into confusion when he saw through the façade. Matt used Alec's pulling Rachel in his cottage for further discussion as a cover by pulling Zack by the arm out of earshot so he could whisper what Zack found so funny?

"Hehe…I think he's bipolar," Zack laughed to his father who donned an understanding look.

"Ah, yes he is actually. We've seen Alec act like this before and if he likes you enough he'll start going on and on about aliens and how they abducted him ten years back. He's a bit of a pervert too, we found," Matt explained as if it were common knowledge. At that moment a shrill cry of dismay erupted from within the confines of Alec's cottage followed by a loud smack and crash the distinct voice of Alec's emitting a yelp of pain right after.

"Oh shit!" Zack cursed racing into the cottage Matt not far behind halting just short of his son's person to peer over Zack's should to assess the situation and figure out what the problem was. Alec, it appeared, had decided to try his luck with Rachel, reaching to grope at the female's left breast whilst serving tea. The Tamer had reacted violently by kicking Alec in the groin followed by a reverse punch at the chin sending Alec reeling back to land on his backside on the floor. Poor Alec was left clutching his groin and a busted lip when Zack and Matt finally arrived on the scene whereas Rachel just stood there glaring and huffing with her fist still out as if she were daring Alec to pull another move on her.

"Um, do we want to know?" Matt asked slowly.

"I think it's blatantly obvious what happened!" Rachel hissed back not taking her eyes off the figure at her feet.

"Owww… what the hell lady I was just serving you tea!" Alec cried from his prone position.

"Serving tea my ass! And I guess that translates into groping because I know I felt your grimy little hands on my breast and it couldn't have been Zack or Matt because they were both outside leaving the only suspect to be you, you sick, perverted bastard!" Rachel growled out stomping her feet as she towered over the loon menacingly keeping her fists raised in plain view so Alec knew that the Tamer wouldn't hesitate to knock the guy around again if it drilled any common sense into the perv's brain.

"O-Okay, I think we should just calm down," Zack interjected quickly rushing over to the martial artist to put his hands on Rachel's shoulders and lead the reluctant Tamer away from Alec so Matt could help the man up.

"Calm down? How can I calm down the man tried to grope me! I think I deserve some sort of apology or respect at least from that bastard's lecherous move!" Rachel screeched indignantly slapping Zack's hand away. Zack merely turned to face the wincing man still clutching his groin while Matt nursed the cut on Alec's lip with a spare cloth he managed to find.

"Well?" Zack snapped with a glare to the pervert while secretly whining to himself why he couldn't be the one to beat the man to a pulp himself.

_"He changes moods fast,"_ Rachel couldn't help but think sparing the SOLDIER 1st an inquiring glance that Zack was too busy glaring at Alec to catch.

"S-Sorry, it won't happen again," Alec muttered what he could through the cloth being pressed to his bloodied lip.

"You make sure of it, now what can you tell us of this monster?" Zack pressed on it was then Alec batted away the cloth so he could hobble over to a vacant armchair and sink wincingly down into its somewhat comforting depths.

"Well I was wandering the village woods, I own a dog-a german Sheppard and poor Willey had gone missing I had to try and look for him in the woods thinking maybe he'd gotten lost out there. It was when I stumbled upon the Mako Reactor that we have out here that I saw Willey. But before I could call out to him he ran off into a cave behind the reactor. I followed him of course and barely made it halfway inside before I got nailed in the side by something bowling me over enough to make me slam into a boulder. When I looked up to see what monster had attacked me I was confused as it looked like a cross between a dragon hatchling and a cat. It had lime green, scaly skin but its body shape was feline-like except for its head that looked like a dragon with one great jagged purple horn sticking up at the top of its head and trailed down its back. It had a tail as long as its body which was the overall size was no bigger than your average house cat. The tail came to a tip of spike but had this weird amethyst purplish-greenish flame above the tip. It floated in mid-air. Its paws hugged this swirling orb of purple and green to its belly and its eyes were a weird silver," Alec detailed. Rachel had taken out a drawing pad and pencil so she could sketch the details of the animal for a visual as Alec described the monster. Using the pause, Rachel showed the sketch to verify the details.

"Is this it?" Rachel stepped closer to the man for Alec to get a better glimpse.

"Mmm, the orb needs to be bigger coming up to where it's neck meets its chest the tail needs to be about a foot longer," Alec responded to which Rachel made the quick adjustments and then showed Alec who nodded in approval.

"What happened after that? Did you find Willey?" Matt prodded. Here Alec looked somber as he shook his head negatively.

"No, I didn't find him-I barely managed to escape from the cave but not without a good bite to the arm that lead me to believe the monster was poisonous because I fell ill afterwards for a good three weeks," Alec responded the three then felt this be the best time to take their leave.

_"This feels like a bad omen to me,"_ Rachel thought as she observed the drawing leaning against a tree not far away from Alec's house while Zack and Matt stood off to the side a short ways discussing with each other while shooting concerned looks in the Tamer's direction every now and then while she decided on the next course of action.

_"I __**know**__ this creature! But why would __**his**__ familiar be lurking in a cave near Gongaga's Reactor? I can't let Zack tag along, too. There's no doubt about what this creature is and where it is, its owner won't be far away. I knew I should have brought Felix!"_

Closing the drawing pad, the Tamer pushed off of the tree with her foot and tucked the pad into a back pocket before she made her way over to the father and son.

"Alright Zack, time to head back to the campsite. I have some equipment back there that I need to retrieve before heading to the cave," Rachel said to the SOLDIER who looked suspicious.

_"Her attitude and outlook has changed almost as if she were on a recon mission or something. Does she know something about this monster?"_ Zack secretly mused while nodding to show he understood.

"Well Matt, thank you for your help, but I believe we need to be off now though," the Tamer turned to Zack's father to say and bid farewell to all the while trying to figure out in her head how she was going to keep Zack at the campsite.

"You're welcome; let me know if you need help with the monster. Zack's not the only one who knows how to wield a sword you know," was all Matt said as a response before walking back down the path to his house.

"Well come on, Zack," Rachel said to the remaining male turning around so Zack could wrap a firm grip around Rachel's shoulders before she blasted off the ground to make their way back to the campsite. Rachel was so deep in thought on their way back that she was completely oblivious to Zack's sapphire blue eyes focused on her face watching her thoughts and emotions play within the depths of her crystal blue orbs.

"You know something don't you?" Zack said to the Tamer breaking her out of her inner musings.

"I'm sorry but I don't know what you are talking about," Rachel frowned trying to keep up the façade on her facial features all the while secretly shouting in her mind, _"HHOW DOES HE KNOW THAT I KNOW SOMETHING? Okay, calm down Rach. Just act normal and when you get back to the campsite grab your gear and ditch the guy. Thank kami he can't fly yet."_

"That mask of yours is useless you know. I use it too, so I know that you are faking your inner thoughts with your emotions. You know something about that monster don't you? And don't try to play dumb with me!" Zack said matter-of-factly.

_"Defiantly ditch him!"_

Rachel shot Zack on odd look.

"Stop talking as if you know me because I can tell you that you don't! I don't know what led you to believe that I have some inclination about the monster but I can tell you right now that I have no clue," Rachel answered turning her head away to focus on flying and attempt to ignore the SOLDIER 1st on her back.

"Oh bullshit Rachel!" Zack snapped not even showing any emotion when Rachel abruptly sped up like a rocket shooting through the air to use the roar of the wind to block out any questions or prodding that the raven male made.

"WHAT, SORRY I CAN'T HEAR YOU THE WIND IS TOO LOUD?" Rachel shouted over the wind only to speed up even more when Zack made to shout back the shout turning into a yelp as he had to cling tighter to Rachel's form to prevent himself from falling off. Before Zack knew it, the two had arrived back at the campsite and Rachel had taken Zack's hesitation to release herself from the SOLDIER'S grip so she could walk over to the back of the jeep using a ki technique to change her clothes to her hakama and haori with the spikes on her arms.

Reaching the jeep, Rachel opened the trunk to climb in and opened a compartment on the left side below the side window. The compartment turned out to be a weapon storage unit that had a selection of throwing knives to broadswords to bows and arrows. The only thing that seemed to be missing from the selection were guns strangely enough. Rachel had picked out what looked like another set of spikes but instead of placing them on the fist or arms, the Tamer stepped out of the back of the jeep and used the bed to support herself and loosened the leg wrappings around her left foot up to her ankle so she could slide the holster onto her claves with a metal bit like bracer curving down the back of the ankle and heel to stop just before the arch of the foot with more bracers coming under the toes at the tips. Scale like sheets of metal covered the top of the foot after the wrappings were tightened to cover the braces, the sheets of metal spiking out as it ran all the way up to the knee cap covering the front of Rachel's legs. Like the ones on her arms, spikes jutted out and curved along the back of her calves stopping at the back of the knee with the last spike reaching all the way up to the bottom of her waist if Rachel were to stand up. The other set of spikes were placed on her right calf just like the one on her left. Reaching back in the trunk the Tamer retrieved a sling of arrows that had an unstrung bow in the mix and slung the pack over her back and reached back in a last time to retrieve a belt that had a sheathed broadsword with hilt wrapped in black leather all the way up to the cross-guard and the pommel capped with a crystal gem the size of Zack's fist. The broadsword was strapped around the martial artist's waist to let the broadsword dangle down her left hip. Grabbing a cord of rope from the back of the trunk door, Rachel hooked a left arm through the loop to sling it up to her shoulder.

"Don't ignore me, Rachel! I know there's something you know that for some reason you aren't telling me. So what is it, huh?" Zack kept up his prodding keeping up with the female as she grabbed her gear.

"Look it's personal okay? Something I'm not particularly fond of sharing with someone I barely know so just butt out!!" Rachel whirled around to release a snap of her own glaring at the SOLDIER 1st.

"It's personal, huh? Then why do you have all of those weapons? I thought you were a martial artist-someone who uses their hands and feet to take down monsters," despite his shock from Rachel's outburst Zack was able to push back with more questions.

"What I can't have multiple preferences? Besides everyone knows to bring some kind of back up weapon or two when fighting monsters especially if its something you've never faced before. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a monster to catch!" Rachel snarled before angrily launching into the air high up enough to be out of Zack's reach if he tried to jump.

"Wha-What-HEY! What about me!? You can't just leave me here!" Zack cried indignantly whirling around to face the Tamer in the air above him shaking a fist at the Tamer in growing anger.

"Oops, sorry, I guess you'll just have to wait here and meditate considering you can't fly yet. Well toodles," Rachel quipped in fake innocence with a fake grin and waved before flying off back toward Gongaga.

"RACHEL!!!" came Zack's shout of rage shortly after.

* * *

M.K.-"Uh oh, Zack's pissed."

Cloud-"I found it funny, considering how rude he was to Rachel it was only fair that she ditched the guy."

Zack-"What did you say?"

Cloud-"Uh, bye?" (Runs off the set with Zack on his heels)

M.K.-"Anywho please read and review, it's not a crime you know and I would like some feedback so I know what to fix in the future."


	10. The Way of a 1st Class SOLDIER: Enter Z

M.K.-"Here's Chapter 10."

Rachel-(Teasingly) "That's a big accomplishment for you."

M.K.-"Oh, hush you or I'll sick the pup on you!"

Rachel-(Drawls) "Oh darn, I forgot my doggie treats!"

Cloud-(sniggers)

Zack-(Frowns at the puns) "Stop referring to me as a mutt dammit!"

M.K.-"Actually I was referring to Maddie but if you want to do the honors then be my guest!"

Rachel-(Looks around on the floor)

Salira-"What the hell are you looking for?"

Rachel-"My stick, I'm gonna need something to ward off a mutt that size."

Salira and Cloud laugh while Zack glares at the brunette and starts chasing her.

M.K.-"Anyways I do not own Final Fantasy VII or Naruto; if I did I would be a multibillionaire. Enjoy!"

**ALSO PLEASE NOTE THAT I'M GOING TO BE DOING SOME EDITING IN THE PREVIOUS CHAPTERS**!!

* * *

**-****Chapter 10****: "The Way of a 1****st**** Class SOLDIER: Enter Zack Fair the Hero!"**

**Zack's POV****:**

_"I can't believe she just ditched me here!"_ Zack pouted in his head now working extra hard in his meditation to bond with his spirit so he could go after the Tamer. He had spent about an hour cursing and trying to figure a way out of the cliff like trap Rachel had somehow driven the jeep up onto a few days before. Finally it dawned on the SOLDIER 1st that if he could just fly he'd be able to catch up with the Tamer in no time. So he immediately plopped down on the flattest piece of land he could find sitting cross-legged and delved into meditation with the determination of that of worker bee trying to get the last of the pollen from the last flower before winter.

_"Come on, where are you?"_ he thought as he evened his breathing as he searched deeper and deeper.

**Rachel's POV****:**

_"Where __**are**__ you?"_ Rachel wanted to say aloud if it weren't for the fact she was toeing her way through the complete darkness of the cave crawling with monsters of which the Tamer intended to not attract so she wouldn't alert the one she was hunting. There was only one monster Rachel sought but apparently it wanted to play hide and seek to the Tamer's irritation.

Rachel used no light to guide her way through the darkness due to the mako concentration in her blood being potent enough to allow her see in the darkness as clearly as if there was daylight shining throughout the whole place. Every muscle, every fiber of her being was tense but relaxed as Rachel's ears strained for the slightest ruffle of a wing, the pitter-patter of padded feet against the cavern floor, the rustle of scales rubbing against each other as the creature moved about the cavern. Rachel's crystal blue eyes now focused into steel blue glowing neon green due to the extra mako rushing through her retina for better sight. The glowing blue orbs shifted and glanced at every nook and cranny the Tamer came across for some clue trying not to disturb the monster bats that overhang above her in the process.

_"You're in here somewhere I just know it!"_

When the martial artist had arrived at the mouth of the cave she had immediately taken out her bow and strung notching an arrow into the strung but didn't pull the string back so it didn't lose tension as Rachel searched the cavern. Stretching out her ki senses enough to help detect what the mako in her eyes couldn't, the Tamer had entered the cave but soon lost track of how long or how deep she'd gone into its shadowy, dripping depths. The Tamer knew it had to be more than an hour but the cave was so full of crevices and recesses that Rachel was forced to leave a ball of ki floating in the air at every turn she took so the martial artist could find her way back out in the future if need be.

A flicker of movement in the peripheral vision of Rachel's left eye caused the Tamer to whip her head in the designated direction her bow at the ready. The female's body shook in tension and adrenaline that pumped through her veins as she waited for the unknown to reveal itself.

**Zack's POV again****:**

Sweat of perspiration dripped down the back of Zack's neck as the SOLDIER searched and searched for his soul the need and desperation growing together more and more as time ticked by. The male could feel himself getting closer to his goal he just needed an extra push.

_"C'mon, c'mon __**where are you**__? Almost there,"_ Zack encouraged himself mentally.

_"Please, I want to help Rachel,"_ Zack prayed and as if his spirit could hear him a strange feeling reached out to him in a soothing manner. As Zack warily observed the feeling he found that once he mentally touched it his senses sharpened once more and felt a spark of energy course through his veins.

_"Is-Is this my spirit? Heh, wow hard to believe something so vague could give me so much energy like this. Alright, now how to bond with it? I'm running out of time who knows what's happened to Rachel by now!"_ As Zack thought this, it was almost as if the spirit knew what the SOLDIER 1st was thinking and wished for the same goal because abruptly the darkness around him lit up in a golden glow and every living being within a five mile radius shone like a mini star.

_"Whoa! Is this it? Did I really do it?"_ Zack wondered feeling the warmth of giddiness rushing through his body as if hydrating every cell and nerve in his being like a man encountering an oasis after trying to survive for weeks in a desert with nothing but his clothes on his back. Zack opened his eyes while still concentrating on keeping his ki this close to the surface.

_"Okay, how did Rachel go about this again? Oh yeah, direct your ki to your feet! Right, this shouldn't be too hard."_

After several trials and errors in an attempt to direct his ki to his feet, Zack was about ready to try and hoof it when he, quite literally, stumbled across the answer and accidentally launched himself in the air almost flying smack dab into one of the cliff walls in the process.

"Whoa nelly!"

_"Awesome, I can fly now! Woohoo this is fucking awesome!"_ Zack grinned in triumph as he floated ten feet off the ground giving the cliff walls around him a wide berth.

_"Wait until Rachel, sees this! Oh wait! Rachel!"_ and with that thought in mind, Zack used his ki to shoot through the air to head as fast as possible for the cave.

**Rachel's POV again****:**

_"There you are!" _Rachel mentally exclaimed having found her target at last.

_"Of course it would have to be in the back of the cave! Well can't complain now-time to kick some monster's ass!"_

Holding her breath Rachel used every fiber of her being to not make a sound as she tried to close as much distance between her and the monster as she cocked the string of her bow with the arrowhead of her arrow deadlocked on the creature hovering before her making as little sound as possible to have the element of surprise on her side.

_"Heaven knows I'll need it!"_ Rachel rolled her eyes at that statement.

"So you're just going to shoot me? Not even greeting me or my master? How rude!" a small but hoarse voice whispered through the dank air. Cursing her luck at being discovered, the Tamer took this time to release her arrow letting it sing towards its target only to be deflected away by the creature's tail.

"You're getting rusty, you know. **He** would have gotten through my shields the minute he saw me if the circumstances were switched," the creature merely taunted the Tamer.

"Too bad he's not around. It'd be a pleasure to knock him senseless again. Tell me what kind of Galaesian (A/N: Pronounced: Gal-lay-zz-ss-she-an) leaves their familiar in an uninhabited cave all by themselves? What business does someone like _you _have with Gongaga?" Rachel sneered circling the creature who twirled in midair to keep the Tamer in his sights.

"I could say the same for you, here you are miles away from Midgar while poor Felix is left defenseless. What kind of Galaesian are you? Oh right-you're not even a full-fledged Galaesian are you? Only half, well beggars can't be choosers I suppose," came a sinister male voice from out of the shadows from behind the Tamer. Rachel sensed an attack and only had enough time to through away her bow and draw her broadsword to as she whirled around to deflect the blow from overhead as the owner of the new voice brought their own sword down in an attempt to behead the Tamer.

"Ah, if it isn't the pest himself," Rachel sneered in disdain to which the male responded with a mocking grin.

**Once again Zack's POV****:**

Zack's landing, for all the effort Zack tried to prevent the nasty outcome was as ungraceful as a western styled dragon trying to take a bath in the tiny bathroom of some poor girl's apartment. Sitting up from his face down spread eagle position Zack had tumbled and rolled into Zack proceeded to furiously spit out the nasty tasting grass dirt that had been shoved into his mouth using his hands to wipe what the stubborn dirt off that had refused to leave his tongue.

"I don't know **how** horses and chocobos can eat that stuff!" Zack grumbled aloud to himself not caring about the fact that no one was around to hear him as the SOLDIER 1st stumbled and hauled his ass from the ground and onto his feet huffing all the while in an undignified manner.

Checking to make sure all the needed battling material was ready at hand Zack felt satisfied once everything was present accounted for and proceeded to whirl around to head into the cave to begin his search for the Tamer. But, as it seems, the SOLDIER 1st hadn't need to as the Tamer herself, it turns out, had decided to meet the raven male outside as her form appeared as soon as Zack had whirled around to see the Tamer's body being hurled out the entrance crashing through a bit of the cavern wall at first and then continued to tear down a few trees or four her back slamming against the fourth making the trunk cave in around the Tamer's form with a sickening crunch. Rachel let out a groan of pain as she slid down clutched a gash that had been grooved into her left shoulder.

"RACHEL!" Zack yelped in immediate concern forcing the female to look up in surprise at the unexpected but familiar voice. Rachel's face was a mess when Zack got a good glimpse of it, to Zack's distaste. A busted lip oozed blood down her chin and onto her silver white gi staining the pureness. Her nose was defiantly broken as the blood from the broken cartilage added to the blood trickling down over her mouth and chin and a medium sized nick had been made over Rachel's right brow.

"Zack? What-how? How in the hell did you get here?" the shocking disbelief was evident in the female's voice as she hissed out her question through the pain of her body as the male in question rushed to her side.

"It seems all that spirit bonding paid off; never mind that though you're hurt!" Zack answered with urgency.

Before Zack could examine Rachel's injuries any further the Tamer lurched forward using an arm to shove the male aside in time to avoid having his head being decapitated while using the other arm to block the intruder's sword with her own.

"It's rude to cut in, ya know!" Rachel spat haughtily while glaring at the intruding male.

"And it's rude to not introduce your friends to one another, Rachel dear," the other sneered in kind.

"Yeah, like you're the best friend I've ever had, Drake!" Rachel retorted in a drawl pushing on her sword to shove the male back.

Zack once again got to his feet whirling around with his Buster sword in hand as he surveyed the seen before him with critical eyes. The male, Drake, Rachel had called him looked alarmingly very much alike to Rachel that being the first thing to assault Zack's senses making the wariness in his nerves spike a little extra. About as tall as Zack as himself, Drake had the same pale complexion as Rachel, had the same chestnut brown hair, and the same small nose but that was where the features Rachel and Drake seem to share ended. Where Rachel had long curly hair pulled into a twist to hang down to her hips, Drake's hair had become spikezilla as it was swept back into a high ponytail that dangled down to his armpits with a single spike of bang dangling down the bridge of his nose stopping at the tip. Where Rachel had beautiful, breath taking crystal blue eyes, Drake had dull brown eyes that radiated cold pain to anyone who dared to cross their paths. Drake was also more masculine in his muscles, broader in the shoulders and chest and more defined cheek bones.

The weapons Rachel and Drake both held in a threatening manner to each other were customized in a way that gave Zack the impression that they weren't any ordinary blade you'd fine in a pawn shop. Drake's sword looked to be a cross between a zanbantou like Zack's Buster sword and a broadsword. The length and width of the sword being twice as wide as a normal broadsword with the hilt being wrapped in dark brown leather leaving the ruby pommel bare. In the middle of the cross-guard that took on a weird design of skeletal wings a huge ruby sat like an ember of fire blaring its existence. Rachel's sword looked to be the complete opposite, it too looked to be a mix of swords but between a broadsword and an elven long-sword. Narrower in the width but longer in the length but not as long as Drake's sword. The hilt of Rachel's sword was wrapped in ebony black leather except for the pommel which was capped by a silver white diamond the size of a man's fist. Scaled dragon like wings became the cross-guard with smaller diamonds adorning the wings like jewelry ranging in sizes from pea-size to marble.

_"Who are these people?"_ Zack couldn't help but wonder in befuddlement.

"No, I was the shunned shadow in your life that was left to rot in hell," Drake growled lurching with a swipe at Rachel's head who had gotten her feet under herself and used the appendages to pull herself into a rolling momentum down to the ground avoiding the downward swipe and twisted her body bringing her sword with her to knock Drake back in the his unprotected side to send the male flying back forcing him to crash headlong into the rock wall of the cavern using a follow up ki blast at the rock wall above him to make the cave entrance collapse on top the man who emitted a grunt. Wasting no time Rachel bolted over to Zack gabbing him by the wrist to start leading the SOLDIER 1st on foot away from the danger zone knowing full well that something like that wouldn't keep Drake down for long and used a ki technique to take off the spikes on her arms and legs so they could run faster without any hindrances.

"Whoa-hey! Where are we going!? The enemy is back that way and speaking of which who was that guy? And why did he look similar to you?" Zack rapid fired working his legs to keep up with Rachel's speed who, despite her injuries, seem to almost float above the ground as she ran.

"We're getting you as far away from him as possible and that's Drake my wannabe stalker," Rachel grunted back leaping over a gorge in between two cliff walls.

"Drake? Who is he? How do you know him?" Zack tried again.

"Can we save the questions for later? Right now my only concern is getting you out of harm's way. Me and Drake are long term enemies and anything Drake sees that he deems close to me he won't hesitate to kill. It's best to get you out of the war zone as soon as possible!" Rachel snapped not even looking at the SOLDIER 1st as she spoke as she used all her will power to keep her legs moving to get Zack back to the campsite.

"What!? Like hell I'm leaving you to fight that bastard alone! Stop pushing me into the corner like I'm some two year old in time out! I can fight too dammit, I didn't get all the way to 1st class from sitting around on my bum and trust me when-" Zack was arguing until the two came to an abrupt halt from Rachel digging her feet into the ground so she could whirl around to face Zack with a livid glare that immediately made Zack fear for his manhood.

"No you trust ME when I say you can NOT fight Drake! He knows magic in ways you've never seen in your whole damn life! One nick from that sword of his can boil your blood from the inside out, all it takes is for a murmur of a word and you'll be completely under his influence. I will NOT lose a friend to that monster now COME and STAY at the campsite this time and DO NOT leave until I return! You GOT THAT!!??" Rachel may be a head shorter than Zack but that doesn't mean she didn't know how to make herself heard as she jabbed a finger in Zack's chest while speaking leaving no room for argument. Before Zack could utter another stubborn protest Rachel whirled back around taking off running again and Zack grunted to keep up with the unexpected movement.

_"Rachel, she doesn't want me to get involved with her problems, but, I can't just let her fight to her death on her own! I don't know why my heart pounds like this when I think of her lying bleeding to death alone. I want to help her but she won't let me in. Why won't you let me help you?"_ Zack mused feeling apprehensive until he remembered something his mom had told him when they were alone after she had met Rachel.

_**Flashback…**_

_**"That girl is something else, I can already tell," Cathy remarked as she walked with her son her arms wrapped around Zack's left.**_

_**"Yeah she is, ma. To everyone else she seems so strong like she can take on the world without breaking a sweat but I can see that underneath all of that there's a lonesome girl that doesn't know how to accept or want help and every time I do something to help her she builds up a wall to hide her pain. I don't know what to do, ma," Zack confided his afflicted feelings with the Tamer to his mother emitting a deep sigh.**_

_**"Hm, I sensed it too. You know what you must do though, right? A girl's wall like that will only be beaten through stubbornness and determination alone. When that wall builds up, keep pushing and shoving-eventually that wall will have to come down," Cathy said confidently.**_

…_**.End Flashback**_

_"I guess now's the time to push and shove. I'll fight you as hard as you do Rachel!"_ Zack thought determinedly as he stared at the female with a stubborn glint in his eyes digging his heels into the ground.

"Oof!" Rachel emitted a yelp at the unexpected halt forcing her to stumble back into Zack's chest.

"What the hell, Zack!? Do you not get the fact that someone who might possibly want to kill you is chasing us?" Rachel grumbled trying to organize her feet to gain her bearings so she could step away from Zack's person, well, she would have anyway if it weren't for the fact of Zack's arms snapping in movement to wrap around Rachel's torso in a way that made Rachel's shoulders tense with the unbearable weight of Zack resting his chin on the Tamer's right shoulder simply letting the female soak in his presence.

"Ack! What the-! Zack what in the hell are you doing?" Rachel cried in dismay looking uncomfortable at such close contact.

"Fighting you. I'm tired of you shoving away my hand offered in help because you are too stubborn to let someone in. Whether you like it or not Rachel, I'm a fighter too and I will push and I will shove until you let me in to help you like the way I WANT to," Zack tried to put as much emotion into his words as possible so the Tamer would be able to see that Zack meant every word and that no matter how many times she pushed him away, Zack will always come back to be with the Rachel Storm that seemed so intriguing and beautiful that it'd be impossible for anyone to NOT want be in her presence.

Rachel's shoulders were still tense but they seemed to be tense for entirely a different reason as the free hand came up to clasp at one of Zack's wrists and in one twirling movement Rachel had thrown Zack to the side as whirled around to let her sword meet with the sudden appearance of Drake's who from his expression did not look happy with the Tamer if his bruises and scrapes were anything to go by.

"How rude, you didn't even say goodbye!" Drake mocked with a scowl.

"Like you care! But if it makes you feel any better, goodbye?" Rachel snarled back shoving the male away from her.

"As if that's all there was to it," came Drake's drawl leaping at the Tamer who returned the charge in kind.

Swords clashed and sparks flew heels dug into the dirt to keep their ground muscles bulged under the stress to keep the weapon they bore in the advantage; eyes glared death and teeth were bared in snarls. Without warning, Drake changed tactics as he broke away from the deadlock to aim a swipe at Rachel's left side who barely got her sword in time to block the blow but had to leap in the air to avoid the left sweep from Drake's foot. Retaliating, Rachel threw a right hook at the pressure point below Drake's left ear that made the man grunt in pain when his jawbone broke from the impact of a Rachel's punch. Not one to back down from a blow like that, Drake threw a man right crescent kick to Rachel's exposed solar plexus who, seeing the kick tried to curl her body in to absorb the kick but ended up coughing her wind out anyway as she found herself being sent back into the dirt. Not relenting, Drake dove after the Tamer in an overhead pounce forcing Rachel to roll away to avoid the blade that carved its gash where Rachel's head used to be. Hooking a foot behind Drake's heel and using the other Rachel jerked her feet forcing Drake to fall back onto his backside in the dirt. While Drake was down for the split second Rachel rolled back onto her hands and pushed so she landed onto her feet with Drake mirroring her movements and the two swiped their swords in a deadlock once again gritting their teeth and grunting in the effort of using all of their muscle trying to overpower the other.

Rachel abruptly raised her ki in the hope to blast Drake away but Drake seemed to predict the move because all he did was dig his heels further into the ground. Zack on the other hand had to hold onto a low branch of a tree to prevent himself from flying through the air.

_"Man this is intense! I never knew a ki fight like this was so fierce and draining. It makes the SOLDIER training look like a walk in the park! But something bothers me, why is it that only Rachel's using her ki to fight? I sense that Drake has ki too, but for some reason he does not use it to counter Rachel's. Could it be that he doesn't know how to use it? Nah, it couldn't be this is Rachel's long-term adversary we're talking about here he would know how to use his ki, right?"_ Zack mused as he watched the fight between Rachel and Drake escalates. In a way Zack wanted immediately jump in to help the Tamer but he couldn't even move his feet from the force of the output of Rachel's ki let alone lift his Buster Sword to help.

_"C'mon, Zack pull yourself together! Rachel needs you right now and how are you going to do that when all you're doing is standing there gawking like some bystander on the sidelines of a football game?"_ Zack's inner voice spoke out making Zack square his back and grit his teeth in determination. More or less using his ki to push himself forward to intervene the fight in Rachel's favor Zack couldn't help but feel like he was a toddler learning how to ice skate for the first time he kept sliding back a few feet before managing to find his footing to march forward again with his Buster sword raised in front of him.

"I don't know why you waste your time with this boy-Storm. He can barely stay on his feet much less help you fight me," Drake taunted the two to which both Rachel and Zack growled at.

"He may be slow at learning Drake, but Zack's ten times more than you'll ever be to me! He's someone I consider a true friend unlike you who will believe what a stranger says over the outcast who actually witnessed our kind's downfall!" Rachel threw back her own sneer.

Zack couldn't help but secretly feel happy that the Tamer would so readily defend him and call him a close friend but he also felt the confusion and bewilderment of the puzzle of mystery that made up the Tamer he saw before him grow bigger and more twisting when he heard what Rachel say in conjunction with her praise of the SOLDIER 1st.

_"Our kind's downfall?-What the hell does she mean by that?"_

A dark scowl settled over Drake's features as if Rachel's words evoked a dark and painful memory of secrets only he and the Tamer knew of.

"Lies! I know you are to blame you are after all the bane of existence to our kind it's because of your place in this world that the only survivors from that attack is you and me. You should know after all it was _your_ **father** that did it!" Drake coldly snarled with vehemence.

"That **monster** is NOT my _father!_ You don't know half of it Drake and with that blind jealousy raging inside your heart you'll never understand the pain I bear. You don't know what it's like to be the shunned outcast because of something that was beyond your control made you exist. Everyone loved you Drake! Everyone held out their hands to greet and help you, EVERYONE! I never knew that! I never knew what it was like to have someone actually want you around! And yet you don't see my heart hell bent on revenge on the person who was labeled to at fault from the words of a stranger!" the scream that raged from Rachel's lips to form her words held such frustrated anger and pain that Zack thought Drake to be a stupid fool for not believing the Tamer's words the man uttering a snort of disbelief to let the Tamer know of his opinion.

"Everyone except our Mother! Everything I did to please her was overlooked once you came around. You had all her love not me! You!" Drake raged back stomping his feet in such a way that Zack had the impression of Drake being a toddler throwing a temper tantrum. Rachel sighed and rolled her eyes.

"Oh, would you get over yourself, ass!? Yeah mom, liked me but in case you didn't notice SHE WAS THE ONLY PERSON TO GIVE A DAMN ABOUT ME!!!! So excuse me for not crying a river over your small misfortune. Grow up Drake you arrogant ass you're just jealous because the one person out of our entire race cared my well being more than yours!" Rachel threw back getting tired of the dead lock so she decided to end it by giving Drake a roundhouse kick to his exposed ribs. The kick knocked the wind out of Drake as he emitted a pained cough and Rachel took the opening in the male's defenses to use her lightning magic to send a good current throw their connected blades that blasted the man back a few yards away who screamed in pain.

"And STAY down, bastard!" Rachel snarled sending a powerful ki blast that Drake couldn't dodge giving him a nice and long ride over the ocean via ki blast. Drake also wouldn't be able to summon enough energy to get off the blast so he should be on there for a good while giving Rachel and Zack plenty of time to get back to the campsite and recoup. Unfortunately for Rachel, the Tamer hadn't counted on Drake's familiar to appear out of nowhere stabbing the female's midsection with his flaming spiked tail. Rachel grunted in pain as Zack cried out in dismay finally finding the strength to fight by leaping at the creature with his sword using it to cut off the creature's tail and carve a good gash in its side. The swipe made the creature screech in agony and disappear in a burst of purple and green flames. Rachel tried to stay on her feet by digging the tip of her sword into the ground for support but her knees buckled under the pain of her injury as she yanked out the tail with a growl. Casting aside the tail her hand then came to clutch at the wound on her stomach that oozed blood down her front. Clamping her hand down to try and slow the blood flow Rachel collapsed to the ground on her knees.

_"Shit! He stabbed me with his tail! Not good, that thing's tail is poisonous and I don't have the antidote on me. Stupid me forgot to grab it when I was back at the campsite!"_ Rachel berated herself as she tried to summon on her inner strength and will power to stand back up so she could rush back to the campsite and uttered a frustrated growl at herself when her legs refused to listen. Zack, on the other hand, seemed to have all the energy of the world as he zipped in a flash to Rachel's side as soon as the creature disappeared concern and fear for the Tamer's health evident in his sapphire blue eyes.

"Rachel! Oh my god, look at you! Is there anything I can do to help? I think I have a cure materia on me," Zack blabbered trying to keep himself calm while he gripped Rachel's shoulders to help steady the girl that looked about ready to do a face plant into the ground. New sweat dripped down Rachel's brow as she took in steady shallow breaths and her complexion seemed to whiten to an unnatural state to Zack's alarm yet when he felt the female's cheek after taking off his glove her skin felt cold and clammy almost as if…..

"No! Don't use a cure materia it'll just make it worse. The tail is poisonous and until I can get the antidote it'll just spread with every movement I make but the idiot I am forgot the antidote back at the campsite and I can't use any regular antidote because the poison is not yet recognized in SHINRA'S database. GAH stupid legs! Work with me here! I can't get back to the campsite if you won't let me stand!" the Tamer growled the last part to her lower limbs as if it had ears to listen. Hearing Rachel's explanation Zack leaped into action placing his Buster sword on his back so he could lean the Tamer back. An arm moved to hook underneath the female's while the other moved to support the Tamer's torso said Tamer displayed her protests as soon as the SOLDIER 1st had touched her by placing her bloodied hands on top of the male's arms to shove them away as she jerked to glare indignantly at the male that met her glare with one of his own at her refusal to cooperate.

"What the hell are you doing, Zack?" the female screeched in dismay for the umpteenth time.

_"Does this guy __**not**__ understand what a bubble is? I mean he's only invaded my personal space for the nth time now."_

"Would you stop fighting me already!? God, woman! I'm trying to help you get back to the campsite seeing as you can't do it on your own but for some reason you keep slapping my hands away!" Zack replied in frustration reaching out to try again only to receive another slap of refusal.

"I'm not some damsel in distress, Zack! I can get back on my own dammit!" Rachel countered using all of her strength to get her feet under her and leaned heavily on her broadsword to push herself up onto her feet and grinned in triumph. The victory, however, was short lived when Zack merely used his hands to catch the Tamer when her knees buckled again and in a standing motion held the Tamer bridle style to Rachel's irritation. Zack would have found the embarrassing blush on the brunette's cheeks amusing if the tamer didn't lean so slumped against Zack's chest in fatigue that reminded of Rachel's life in jeopardy. He started to run to get a good blast off but the Tamer's drained voice stopped him.

"Let me at least sheath my sword, idiot! It'd be annoying to find I ended up nicking you with it."

Zack couldn't care less but Rachel had already halfway made the movement to sheath her sword but seemed to be struggling so using his knee to support her under the bum the SOLDIER 1st helped the Tamer sheath her sword with his free hand. Once that was done, after receiving a baleful glare from the Martial Artist, Zack's hand was back under Rachel's knees and his own feet were rushing over the grass before blasting into the air as a take off.

"In case I fall unconscious the antidote is in a medium sized vile in the first-aid kit it'll be a blue liquid with a black stopper. The first-aid kit is a red box located in the right corner compartment of the trunk. I need to drink the entire antidote before you cast a cure on me and I will be unconscious for a few days. Don't get yourself killed in the mean….time," with that Rachel's eyelids closed shut hiding the crystal blue orbs to the SOLDIER 1st's dismay.

* * *

M.K.-"And that's the end of chapter 10."

Rachel-(Runs onto the scene) "Please read and review!"

Zack-(Comes running onto the scene) "Come back here!"

Rachel-"Uh oh, gotta run!"

M.K.- (Giggles) "Run, Forrest, run!"

Rachel- "Life's like a box of chocolates!"

Zack-"And you won't like what you are going to get!"

Rachel-"Eep!"


End file.
